French champion and green jersey contender Arnaud Demare (FDJ) is out of the 2017 Tour de France, after finishing well outside the time cut on stage nine.
Demare had been suffering with illness, and after just finishing inside the time cut on stage eight, he was unable to on stage nine – he and three team-mates finishing nearly an hour after stage winner Rigoberto Uran (Cannondale-Drapac).
The stage, with three hors categorie climbs, always had the potential to put some sprinters in grief, particularly with Demare ill, and the French champion is now officially out of the race, alongside Mickael Delage, Jacopo Guarnieri and Ignatas Konovalovas.