Giant-Alpecin rider Tom Dumoulin, having won a stage in last September’s Vuelta a España and May’s Giro d'Italia, completed his hat-trick by riding to victory in Stage Nine of the 2016 Tour de France, netting Dumoulin a win in each Grand Tour in a year’s span.
Dumoulin attacked a small breakaway group at the base of the day’s final climb, the Hors Categorie ascent to Andorra Arcalis, and kept pressing on even when the skies opened and dumped driving rain and even hail on the peloton. He finished 38 seconds ahead of his nearest pursuers.
Exhausted but exhilarated, Dumoulin struggled to answer questions for NBC Sports after his stage win. It’s a dream and it came true,“ he said. ”I cannot even speak right now, I am so tired—but it was an incredible day. The whole day, the Queen stage, really, really hard—and I did it.
“It’s very special. I am a time trial specialist but I showed today that I can do more. I am so, so happy.”
