Tour De France 2015 Stage 9

Britain's Chris Froome retained the overall leader's yellow jersey after a closely fought team time trial on stage nine of the Tour de France in Brittany.

Froome's Team Sky were last out on the 28km route and finished in second, 0.62 seconds slower than BMC Racing.

The 2013 champion now leads BMC's American rider Tejay van Garderen by 11 seconds in the overall standings.

Froome gained more time on two-time winner Alberto Contador, Nairo Quintana and defending champion Vincenzo Nibali.

Italian Nibali was the day's biggest loser in the battle between the so called 'big four' with his Astana team finishing 35 seconds adrift of the winners. He now trails Froome by two minutes and 22 seconds.

Contador's Tinkoff-Saxo squad fared a little better, finishing 28 seconds behind BMC, to leave him 63 seconds behind Froome.

Quintana picked up valuable time on Condtador and Nibali as his Movistar team finished just four seconds off the pace. He now trails Froome by one minute, 59 seconds.


The 22 teams in the race set off at five minute intervals from Vannes and Team Sky were level with BMC, the team time trial world champions, at the 10km time check and moved one second ahead at 20.5km.

However, with the clock not stopping until the first five riders crossed the finish line, the British-based team almost blew it on the 1.7km climb to the finish in Plumelec.

They had just five riders left on the ascent and Irish rider Nicolas Roche was clearly struggling in the closing stages, so much so that Froome had to ease off and shout encouragement.

While that undoubtedly cost Team Sky the stage win, they had the consolation of retaining the yellow jersey.

Stage nine result:

1. BMC Racing (US) 32mins 15secs

2. Team Sky (GB) +01sec

3. Movistar (Spa) +04secs

4. Tinkoff - Saxo (Rus) +28secs

5. Astana (Kaz) +35secs

General classification:

1. Chris Froome (GB) Team Sky 31hrs 34mins 12secs

2. Tejay van Garderen (US) BMC Racing +12secs

3. Greg Van Avermaet (Bel) BMC Racing +27secs

4. Peter Sagan (Svk) Tinkoff - Saxo +38secs

5. Alberto Contador (Spa) Tinkoff - Saxo +1min 03secs

6. Rigoberto Uran (Col) Etixx - Quick-Step +1min 18secs

7. Alejandro Valverde (Spa) Movistar +1min 50secs

8. Geraint Thomas (GB) Team Sky +1min 52secs

9. Nairo Quintana (Col) Movistar +1min 59secs

10. Zdenek Stybar (Cze) Etixx - Quick-Step Same time

Selected other:

13. Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) Astana +2mins 22secs