Stage 9

The road

At the start

Cumbre del Sol, twice up the wall

Julian Alaphilippe held on from the break at Xorret de Catí, where the favourites tore into each other on the ramps: Froome now leads Chaves by 28 seconds, Roche by 41, Nibali by 53. Today is seaside-promenade flat until the Alto de Puig Llorença, which the race climbs twice — the second time all the way to the line at Cumbre del Sol, with pitches touching twenty per cent.

How it was won

1. 118 km to go

   Split on the first ascent

   The break fractures over the first passage of the Cumbre del Sol before the loop sends the race back up the wall.

2. 26 km to go

   Sky light the fuse

   The last escapee is swept up as Sky set a blistering pace onto the final climb.

3. 33 km to go

   Attacks on the ramps

   Bardet, Carapaz and Mas trade digs on the brutal slopes, gradients touching 21 per cent.

4. 41 km to go

   Froome kicks

   Inside the final kilometre Froome accelerates and no one can hold his wheel; Chaves gives chase in vain.

5. 5At the line

   Froome wins on Cumbre del Sol

   Chris Froome takes his first Grand Tour stage of the year atop the Cumbre del Sol, extending his red-jersey lead.

The result