TdF stage 9: The attack that almost made it

 

Jonas Pickaert: Most Combative Rider and fulfill his life-long dream of being on a Tour de Francepodium.

Mathieu van der Poel and Alpencin-Deceuninck teammate Jonas Rickaert attacked in stage nine's neutral zone in the pan-flat 174.1km stage. The pair put the peloton under some stress as Van der Poel went alone with 5km to go only to be caught by the surging peloton with only 700 metres short of stage victory. The effort didn't go unrewarded. Tireless worker Rickaert earned a trip to the Tour podium as the day's most aggressive rider.

"I've always dreamed of standing on the Tour's podium. In fact, I made a joke by trying to break away with two others at the start. But it seems Mathieu was serious, so we kept going."

-Jonas Rickaert

Cofidis soigneur anticipating a hot day with ice socks

With 5km to go: going for a miracle

"But I don't think we expected to end up that close. I knew the peloton was coming. I just fell short."

-MVDP