MULHOUSE, France (AP) – German rider Tony Martin broke ahead early and comfortably held on to win the hilly ninth stage of the Tour de France on Sunday, while Frenchman Tony Gallopin took the yellow jersey from overnight leader Vincenzo Nibali of Italy.
The 29-year-old Martin, a three-time world time trial champion, broke away with specialist climber Alessandro De Marchi of Italy.
“The objective was to win the stage. There was a chance to do it and I felt good, my legs felt good,” he said. “I knew it would be one of my rare chances to win a stage.”
The 170-kilometer (105.4-mile) stage from Gerardmer to Mulhouse – in the Vosges mountain range near the German border – featured six mostly moderate uphill treks that posed Martin little problem, even though he is not a reputed climber.
“When the stage started to climb I realized I was stronger and started to attack and then things went well,” he said. “We’re close to Germany and that was an extra incentive.”