Degenkolb makes emotional comeback, claims 9th stage
ROUBAIX: Two years after suffering a career-threatening accident, former Paris-Roubaix champion John Degenkolb claimed his maiden Tour de France win on his favourite terrain when he tamed the cobbles and powered to victory on Sunday’s ninth stage.
The German, who won the Queen of the Classics in 2015, was one of three riders to jump away from the main pack 19km from the line and he was the fastest in the final sprint, beating overall race leader Greg van Avermaet of Belgium.
Another Belgian, Yves Lampaert, took third place after a 156.5km ride from Arras featuring 21.7km of bone-shaking cobbled sectors, some of them featuring on the Paris-Roubaix route.
“It is very emotional, I went through such a difficult period so today is pure happiness,” said Degenkolb, who suffered several fractures and a serious finger injury after he and some teammates were hit by a car during a training ride in January 2016.
“But my team and my family supported me. In Germany they say those who have had a brush with death live longer. I’ve had bad luck, but I always had the will to come back to my best.”
Frenchman Warren Barguil, who was also in the 2016 accident in Spain, said: “Everybody was saying he was finished, I’m so happy for him.”
Among the contenders for the overall win, last year’s runner-up Rigoberto Uran lost one minute 28 seconds on his main rivals after crashing about 30km from the finish. Australian Richie Porte pulled out after an early crash.