Luxembourg’s Bob Jungels (AG2R Citroen) won his first-ever stage at Le Tour with an inspiring and dominating victory from Aigle to Chatel in the Swiss Alps during Stage 9 of the 2022 Tour de France.
The bookies in Europe expected a rider in the breakaway would win Stage 9 of the Tour de France, but they overlooked Jungels, who was +5000 odds or a 50/1 shot to win the mountain stage. Jungels pulled away from a breakaway of 21 other riders and then eluded a chase pack to earn the top step on the podium for the first time in his career. Jungels had a tough year recovering from multiple surgeries after a crash, while also battling arterial endofibrosis.
It’s been a hectic two weeks for Jungels, who overcame a positive COVID-19 test prior to the Grand Depart in Denmark.
| 2022 Tour de France – Stage 9 Results |
- Bob Jungels (AG2R Citroen) 4:46:39
- Jonathan Castroviejo (Ineos Grenadiers) +0:22
- Carlos Verona (Movistar) +0:26
Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates) retained the yellow jersey by finishing fifth in Stage 9, with Jonas Vingegaard (Jumbo-Visma) right on his wheel in sixth. The two crossed the finish line in Chatel 49 seconds after Jungels. In the overall general classification standings, Vingegaard is 39 seconds behind Pogacar.
Stage 9: Aigle > Chatel
The peloton was challenged with the hottest day of Le Tour along with the first true mountain stage during a picturesque 193 km ride from Aigle to Chatel Les Portes du Soleil. The initial breakaway built up a 2:17 lead on the peloton at Col de la Croix, but Jungels gambled on the descent with an aggressive attack.
Thibout Pinot (Groupama–FDJ) attempted to chase down Jungels and secure the first stage win for Groupama–FDJ this year. Pinot made his move on the arduous Category 1 ascent of Pas de Morgin, much to the delight of boisterous French fans lining the route. However, Pinot struggled on the descent. Jungels never panicked, easily making up the time Pinot gained on him.
Jungels locked down the victory while Pinot got gobbled up by a chase pack consisting of Jonathan Castroviejo (Ineos) and Carlos Verona (Movistar).
“I’m just overwhelmed,” said Jungels. “This is huge, this is what I came here for. I know this means a lot for the team after a couple of years struggling, and a very tough last year with surgeries. Also, to take the victory this way — it’s my style of racing. My style of taking the victories.”
Pinot finished in a disappointing fourth place, 40 seconds behind Jungels. The gassed Frenchman collapsed after crossing the finish line at Chatel 40. Castroviejo finished in second place, 22 seconds behind Jungels, while Verona took third place in Stage 9.
Preview Stage 10: Morzine Les Portes du Soleil > Megeve
Monday is the second rest day of Le Tour, before resuming on Tuesday. Stage 10 is a hilly 146 km route from Morzine Les Portes du Soleil to Megeve along Lake Geneva, which also boasts four categorized climbs, including Cote de Chevenoz, Col de Jambaz, Cote de Charillon-sur-Cluses, and Montee de L’altiport de Megeve. The stage concludes with a Category 2 climb — clocking in at 19.2 km — to the top of the beastly Megeve.
Pogacar is the betting favorite to win the punchy Stage 10 at +600 odds, followed by Lennard Kamma (Bora-Hansgrohe) at +700 odds, and OG’s favorite rider and Stage 8 winner Wout van Aert (Jumbo-Visma) at +1000 odds. If you want to back Pinot to bounce back with a victory in Stage 10, he’s +1600 odds, while Vingegaard is +2600 odds to win his first stage this year. Van Aert dominates these hilly “tweener” stages, so we like the well-rounded Belgian to secure his third stage win this summer.
| 2022 Le Tour – Overall GC Standings |
- Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates) 33:43:44
- Jonas Vingegaard (Jumbo-Visma) +0:39
- Geraint Thomas (Ineos Grenadiers) +1:17
- Adam Yates (Ineos Grenadiers)Â +1:25
- David Gaudu (Groupama-FDJ) +1:38
Pogacar and Vingegaard are still in the top two spots in the GC standings. However, the odds have shifted a bit: Pogacar is only -250 to win, while Vingegaard is now +250.
A pair of Ineos riders are within striking distance of Pogacar. Geraint Thomas is in third place, but 67 seconds off the lead, while Adam Yates is 85 seconds back in fourth place. France’s David Gaudu (Groupama-FDJ) is in fifth place, yet he’s 98 seconds back.
American Neilson Powless (EF Education-EasyPost) from California slipped to ninth overall and is 1:55 off the lead. Primoz Roglic (Jumbo-Visma) moved into 11th place, but he’s 2:52 behind Pogacar.
Check out OG’s coverage of the 2022 Tour de France.