Tour de France: Voeckler steals Yellow Jersey from Hushovd
ST FLOUR, France: In a yet another crash-studded day in the Tour de France cycle race 2011 on Sunday, local rider Thomas Voeckler dethroned Thor Hushovd of Norway from the overall lead after ninth stage.
Cadel Evans. Courtesy: Getty Images
With a number of favorites catching up in the crashes, the Frenchman took the opportunity to outpace the Norwegian as the Tour has a break on Monday.
Riders like Alberto Contador of Spain and Alexandre Vinokourov of Kazakhstan suffered huge blows in the crashes where a television car also collided with the leading group.
Thomas Voeckler. Courtesy: AP PHOTO
As it appeared, Contador was pushed when he had to face an early spill but the Spaniard stood up and got back, on the saddle to finish the race.
With all the drama related to crashes, Voeckler, who was in a breakaway along with his countrman Sandy Casar and Luis-Leon Sanchez of Spain, found some momentum but the Spaniard outpaced the French duo to steal victory in the ninth stage of the Tour de France 2011.
After the ninth stage, Thomas Voeckler now leads Luis-Leon Sanchez by 1:49 and Cadel Evans of Australia by 2:26.
Johnny Hoogerland's injured legs. Courtesy: AP PHOTO
Voeckler, who held the Yellow Jersey for 10 days in 2004, told reporters, “I cannot win stages every year. I did what I could this time but you have to pick your priorities and mine was the yellow jersey”.
In one of the most horrific stages this year where a huge number of participants were injured, Philippe Gilbert of Belgium (Green Jersey Holder), Fabian Cancellara of Switzerland, and Thor Hushovd of Norway all called for a truce to allow the participating teams to take a look at the wounds of the injured.
Philippe Gilbert. Courtesy: AP PHOTO
Hushovd said, “Given the circumstances, there was no way we could try to defend the jersey.
With only 35km away from the finish line, a television van hit Juan Antonio Flecha of Spain and Johnny Hoogerland of Netherlands. The van hit the two cyclists sending Hoogerland flying into the air into a barbed-wire fence besides injuring Flecha’s elbow.
Both the cyclists decided against quitting the race and completed the stage after doctors treated Flecha while Hoogerland let his legs bleed before finishing 17 minutes off the pace.
The ninth stage winner Sanchez told reporters, “It’s a shame that such a freak accident should take place in a race like the Tour de France. Organisers should really take measures to protect the riders.
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