Pogacar wins ninth stage as Roglic takes lead

LARUNS, France: Adam Yates surrendered the yellow jersey to Primoz Roglic as his fellow Slovenian Tadej Pogacar won stage nine of the Tour de France in Laruns on Sunday.

Yates lost touch with the main group of contenders on the Col de Marie Blanque late on the 153km stage from Pau as Roglic, Egan Bernal, Pogacar and Mikel Landa were able to break free when the group of favourites splintered.

Team Sunweb’s Marc Hirschi had gone clear out of the remnants of the day’s breakaway on the Col de la Hourcere and looked like soloing to victory, only to be caught by the charging group of contenders inside the final two kilometres on the flat run to the finish.

Hirschi recovered to join the sprint to the line but was beaten by Pogacar and Roglic on the line.

Hirschi’s presence cost fourth-placed Bernal some valuable bonus seconds on the line as the general classification received a big shake up.

Jumbo-Visma’s Roglic now leads by 21 seconds from the defending champion, with the French duo of Guillaume Martin and Romain Bardet third and fourth, 28 and 30 seconds down respectively.

Yates finished in a group some 54 seconds later to send him tumbling down the general classification after a fourth day in the leader’s yellow jersey.