Stage 9 – DS Insights Preview
TOUR DE FRANCE 2025 – STAGE 9 DS INSIGHTS PREVIEW
📍 Route: Chinon → Châteauroux
📅 Date: 13 July 2025
📏 Distance: 174.1 km (flat profile, only ~1,400 m elevation gain)
🌬️ Terrain: Silky flat, final 5 km on wide-open stretch; crosswind risk if breezy
🧠 DS Tactical Thoughts
Sprint Train Showdown – A repeat of Stage 8’s dynamics; Lidl–Trek, Soudal Quick‑Step, Alpecin–Deceuninck, and Visma all on alert to position their sprinters
Wind Watch – A gentle side breeze could cause minor nerves, but full echelon formation unlikely unless conditions escalate. No Breakaway Surprise – The intermediary sprint at 23 km may animate the first hour, but most expect a tightly controlled bunch sprint.
🥇 SPRINTERS TO WATCH
Jonathan Milan (Lidl–Trek): Green jersey holder, on a winning streak after Stage 8; favourite
Tim Merlier (Soudal Quick‑Step): Bouncing back from mechanical troubles – tipped as a contender
Wout van Aert (Visma–Lease a Bike): Strong second on Stage 8; another podium threat
Kaden Groves (Alpecin–Deceuninck): Building momentum post-Stage 8 third place
Others: Dylan Groenewegen, Biniam Girmay, Pascal Ackermann, Arnaud De Lie, Danny van Poppel, Jordi Meeus
🏁 FORECASTED FINISH
Bunch Sprint Finale – The stage’s flat finale and history, the town is known as Cav in Châteauroux. It strongly supports a bunch sprint result.
Potential Disrupters – Crosswinds and a technical final (three turns in the final 5 km) could create some confusion in the expected sprint trains.
🟡 CLASSIFICATION LEADERS – BEFORE STAGE 9
Yellow (GC): Tadej Pogačar (UAE) – 54″ over Remco Evenepoel in second and Kévin Vauquelin in third (+1′ 11″), Vingegaard 4th (+1’17’) and Van der Poel 5th (+1’29”).
Green (Points): Jonathan Milan – 192 pts, Pogačar second (156 pts), Girmay third (124 pts).
Polka-Dot (KOM): Tim Wellens – 8 pts, Pogacar – 7 pts, Healy – 4 pts.
White (Youth): Remco Evenepoel continues to lead this competition by 17″ from Vauquelin.
🎯 DS Insight
Milan’s Momentum: Back-to-back green jersey showings? He’s asserting himself as the sprint leader.
Merlier vs Milan: A fresh challenge is brewing — if Merlier recovers, Stage 9 could be their rematch stage.
Echelon Alert?: Crosswinds are a wild card – not a threat now, but something to monitor for Stage 10.
GC Stability: A flat stage assures calm for the leaders — all eyes now turning to Bastille Day’s Mont-Dore ascent.
