Tour De France 2026 Stage 9: Mathieu Van Der Poel Claims Victory In Heat-Shortened Race
Mathieu van der Poel claimed victory in Tour de France 2026 Stage 9 on Sunday, producing a perfectly timed late sprint to beat Tobias Johannessen and Tom Pidcock in Ussel. The Alpecin-Premier Tech rider emerged strongest from a select breakaway on the shortened 154.6km stage, which was reduced due to an extreme heatwave. Defending champion Tadej Pogacar finished six seconds behind with the main contenders to comfortably retain the yellow jersey, maintaining his 2min 42sec lead over Jonas Vingegaard heading into the race's first rest day.
Slovenia's Tadej Pogacar, wearing the best climber's dotted jersey, celebrates on the podium after the ninth stage of the Tour de France cycling race with start in Malemort and finish in Ussel, France, Sunday, July 12, 2026. | Photo: AP/Mosa'ab Elshamy
Netherland's Mathieu van der Poel celebrates as he crosses the finish line to win the ninth stage of the Tour de France cycling race with start in Malemort and finish in Ussel, France, Sunday, July 12, 2026. | Photo: AP/Thibault Camus
Spectators wait for the riders to pass during the ninth stage of the Tour de France cycling race with start in Malemort and finish in Ussel, France, Sunday, July 12, 2026. | Photo: AP/Mosa'ab Elshamy
Spectators cheer the riders during the ninth stage of the Tour de France cycling race with start in Malemort and finish in Ussel, France, Sunday, July 12, 2026. | Photo: AP/Mosa'ab Elshamy
Netherland's Mathieu van der Poel leads the break away during the ninth stage of the Tour de France cycling race with start in Malemort and finish in Ussel, France, Sunday, July 12, 2026. | Photo: AP/Mosa'ab Elshamy
Slovenia's Tadej Pogacar, wearing the overall leader's yellow jersey, rides with the pack during the ninth stage of the Tour de France cycling race with start in Malemort and finish in Ussel, France, Sunday, July 12, 2026. | Photo: AP/Mosa'ab Elshamy
The pack rides during the ninth stage of the Tour de France cycling race with start in Malemort and finish in Ussel, France, Sunday, July 12, 2026. | Photo: AP/Mosa'ab Elshamy
The pack rides during the ninth stage of the Tour de France cycling race with start in Malemort and finish in Ussel, France, Sunday, July 12, 2026. | Photo: AP/Mosa'ab Elshamy
Norway's Tobias Johannessen, left, and Quinn Simmons of the U.S. ride in a break away during the ninth stage of the Tour de France cycling race with start in Malemort and finish in Ussel, France, Sunday, July 12, 2026. | Photo: AP/Mosa'ab Elshamy
The pack rides during the ninth stage of the Tour de France cycling race with start in Malemort and finish in Ussel, France, Sunday, July 12, 2026. | Photo: AP/Mosa'ab Elshamy
The pack rides during the ninth stage of the Tour de France cycling race with start in Malemort and finish in Ussel, France, Sunday, July 12, 2026. | Photo: AP/Mosa'ab Elshamy
The pack rides during the ninth stage of the Tour de France cycling race with start in Malemort and finish in Ussel, France, Sunday, July 12, 2026. | Photo: AP/Mosa'ab Elshamy
France's Paul Seixas, center, and his teammates wear cooling vests ahead of the start of the ninth stage of the Tour de France cycling race with start in Malemort and finish in Ussel, France, Sunday, July 12, 2026. | Photo: AP/Mosa'ab Elshamy
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