Tour de France stage 9: Gerardmer > Mulhouse, 170kms

The race crosses the Col de la Schluclte in smithereens after 10-kilometres of attacking...

Tony Martin has attacked over the top with Alessandro De Marchi...

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Joaquin Rodriguez tries to start a counter-attack...

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Fabian Cancellara is also trying to join this move..!

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Amael Moinard is joining the move with teamate Greg van Avermaet...

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Van Avermaet and Cancellara lead a 25-man counter-attack behind Martin and De Marchi...

De Marchi leads Martin over the next climb, the Wettstein - they have built a one-minute's lead...

Astana's gathers at the head of the peloton with Vincenzo Nibali well protected...

Europcar is dominating the chase-group - they have Pierre Rolland looking to move up the G.C...

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BMC is up there with the Astana-led peloton, now more minutes back, but with bigger fish to fry...

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Nibali hurtles down the descent, as cool and composed as ever...

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Richie Porte descends towards the feed-zone, a lot is expected of him in a few days' time..!

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Tony Martin has left De Marchi for dead at the start of the Markstein...

The view from the Markstein is of those cool, refreshing Alsace wines - and the Tour peloton..!

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Nibali is slowly adapting his body to long mountain climbs with just a few days before the Alps...

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Astana chases harder now - they stand to lose the race-lead to Tony Gallopin who is in the chase-group ahead...

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Tony Martin is on hos own and pulling away with over 40-kilometres left...

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Tour de France 2014 - Stage 9

Tony Gallopin has panicked a bit and accelerated away from the chasers, but they'll re-group on the long descent...

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Tony Martin wins stage nine after 160-kilometres in front, and over sixty of those alone..!

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Fabian Cancellara outsprints Greg van Avermaet for second-place, almost three-minutes behind his TT arch-rival Martin...

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Frenchman Tony Gallopin has taken the race-lead today - on the eve of Bastille Day in France..!