Stage 9 | Nantua / Chambéry | Tour de France 2017

An amazing, incident-filled day on the Tour de France saw two of the top five riders crash out and Chris Froome call on the unwritten rule that no one should attack the yellow jersey when he has a mechanical problem to keep his grip on the race lead.

Richie Porte, the Australian rider with the BMC Racing team, suffered a shocking crash on the descent of the Mont du Chat near the end of stage nine of the Tour. Ireland’s Daniel Martin also went down and we hear his eyewitness account of the crash.

Richard Moore, Lionel Birnie and François Thomazeau try to sort through all the action on a day when there was a photo finish between Rigoberto Uran and Warren Barguil, several crashes, including one that put Welshman Geraint Thomas out of the race with a broken collarbone, and a bit of needle between Froome and Fabio Aru. While Aru claimed not to see Froome had suffered a mechanical problem, Froome said he did not realise Aru had attacked – claims that no doubt dampened the controversy but perhaps stretch credibility. François delivers his single-word verdict on the matter with typical French panache.

We also hear from Kiwi George Bennett, who has ridden into the top ten overall, plus Uran’s sports director at the Cannondale-Drapac team Charly Wegelius and Alberto Bettiol.

The Cycling Podcast is supported by Rapha and Science in Sport.