BAGNERES-DE-BIGORRE, France -- Left alone and with his teammates far behind, Chris Froome held off repeated attacks to retain the Tour de France lead Sunday as the three-week race left the Pyrenees mountains. Dan Martin of Ireland, a 26-year-old Garmin-Sharp rider, won Stage 9 following a two-man sprint against Denmarks Jakob Fuglsang after they escaped Froome and the other pre-race favourites on the last of five tough climbs along the 168.5-kilometre trek from Saint-Girons to Bagneres-de-Bigorre in southwest France. As the race neared its first rest day Monday, Froome was relieved he was able to quash four attacks by Movistars Nairo Quintana on the last climb -- la Hourquette dAncizan -- despite his Sky teammates lagging behind. They were worn out after a strong team effort to help him win the yellow jersey a day earlier. "That was one of the hardest days Ive ever had on a bike," Froome said. "Im really happy with how I came through today ... Its not easy to follow Quintana in the climbs. Hes a light little Colombian who can fly up hills -- so to cover his attacks definitely wasnt easy." "But yeah, I was quite ready for more attacks, and Im quite glad there werent," he said, adding that it was "quite understandable" that his teammates werent with him after Saturdays effort. The Briton ketp an eye on his top rivals to win the title in Paris on July 21, including Spaniard pair Alberto Contador, of the Saxo Bank team, and Alejandro Valverde -- one of five Movistar riders in the front bunch of about two dozen riders. The Briton was content to let Martin and Fuglsang go ahead, and fight for the stage win. After a brief cat-and-mouse game, Martin wheeled around the Dane before the final bend with about 150 metres to go and held on for his first Tour stage win. Martin is the nephew of 1987 Tour champion Stephen Roche and a cousin of fellow cyclist Nicolas Roche. "I was confident in the final stretch because I know I have some speed," Martin said, adding he was lucky to have Astanas Fuglsang with him to share the work of holding off the favourites. "I knew I had to be ahead in the last two corners and, when I saw that I was, I knew I could win." "Luckily I had the legs to finish the job." They crossed 20 seconds ahead of Froome, two-time Tour winner Contador, and 2011 champion Cadel Evans of Australia, among others. Overall, the top standings didnt change much, except that Sky rider Richie Porte of Australia tumbled from 2nd place overall to 33rd after finishing nearly 18 minutes behind Martin. Froomes closest challenger is Valverde, who is 1:25 behind. Contador is sixth overall and trails by 1:51. Martin is eighth, 2:28 back. Froome captured the yellow jersey Saturday by launching a devastating attack in the final climb to win Stage 8, thanks in large part to a strong escort from Sky -- including Porte, who was second in that stage. But the fact there were none of his teammates around to help Froome will encourage the other teams that the seemingly unbeatable Sky team may have weaknesses. Tired from their efforts Saturday, the other Sky riders fell back early on and Froome was left to fend for himself. As is required of the yellow jersey holder after each stage, Froome went straight to anti-doping control after the race. This is the first Tour since Lance Armstrongs fall from grace after he was stripped of his seven Tour titles from 1999-2005 for serial doping. Froome vouched after his win Saturday that he was "100 per cent" clean and was asked on French television after Sundays stage if he has ever taken a performance-enhancing product. "No," Froome said. "I trained for many months to arrive here in this form." With temperatures once again well into the 30s C, Froome found himself isolated on the days first category 1 ascent up to Col de Mente, where Evans fell 40 seconds behind the yellow jersey group. Then, a breakaway group featuring Canadas Ryder Hesjedal, Tom Danielson and Pierre Rolland forged ahead. Hesjedal finished the stage 59th to drop into 41st overall. David Veilleux of Cap-Rouge, Que., and Svein Tuft of Langley, B.C., are 132nd and 173rd respectively. Froomes chasing group included Contador, flanked by his Saxo-Tinkoff teammates, while Quintana sat behind Froome. Once they got over Col de Mente, Valverde attacked on the descent and chased after the breakaway group, prompting Froome to go after him. The second tough climb was the days longest -- about 13 kilometres up the famed Col de Peyresourde -- and a new breakaway took the initiative. Hesjedal, last years Giro dItalia winner, and climbing specialist Rolland were still there, joined by Romain Bardet of France and Belgian trio Bart De Clercq, Thomas De Gendt and Jan Bakelants. They were about 40 seconds ahead of Froomes group at the top of Peyresourde. Quintanas Movistar teammates drove hard at the front of the 20-man yellow jersey group as they chugged toward the third climb in the blazing sun. Australias Simon Clarke joined the leaders as the seven-man breakaway started to up the tempo and then broke away on his own up the Col de Val Louron-Azet -- a 7.4-kilometre ascent. Clarke was 1:10 ahead of Froomes group before he sped down a sharp descent to La Hourquette dAncizan -- 10 kilometres at 7.5 per cent gradient. Froome, meanwhile, tucked in behind four Movistar riders -- with Quintana riding his wheel -- for the last few kilometres until the last climb, where the breakaway riders were caught. French President Francois Hollande was among the spectators, protected from the heat in Tour director Christian Prudhommes car. Tuesday is a flat stage for sprinters. Froome will be among the favourites to win Wednesdays time trial on Stage 11. Air Max 97 Homme Kaki . 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NEW YORK -- Juan Martin del Potro and Janko Tipsarevic found themselves on a practice court together at Wimbledon, though they spent more time talking than hitting the ball.They swapped tales of undergoing surgery after surgery, of the anguish of missing so much tennis and wondering if their injuries would ever heal.We were basically interrupting each other with what was going on through our minds in this, like moments of depression and sadness, just not seeing the light at the end of the tunnel, Tipsarevic recalled.Tuesday was a moment of joy and relief for both men. The two former top-10 players currently ranked in the triple digits each won a U.S. Open match for the first time since 2013.Since his last appearance at Flushing Meadows three years ago, del Potro needed three left wrist surgeries and contemplated retiring. The 2009 U.S. Open champ went 2+ years between majors before coming back at Wimbledon, where he upset Stan Wawrinka.Then at the Olympics, del Potro beat Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal en route to the silver medal. He returned home to a heros welcome in Argentina.It wasnt exactly the best way to recharge, though, physically and emotionally.To be honest, Im still feeling tired, for sure, del Potro said.Looked just fine against fellow Argentine Diego Schwartzman on Tuesday, when del Potro won 6-4, 6-4, 7-6 (3), urged along by appreciative fans.Tipsarevic didnt have the crowd on his side when he faced American Sam Querrey, who upset fellow Serb Djokovic in the third round at Wimbledon.No matter, Tipsarevic beat the 29th-seeded Querrey 7-6 (4), 6-7 (0), 6-3, 6-3 for his first victory at any major since the 2013 U.S. Open.He played a few more tournaments that season -- then didnt return to competition for more than two years.Even in the first six or seven or eight months, it wasnt that bad, he recalled.Tipsarevic was taking so many painkillers in 2013 because of a bum left foot that they were causing liver problems.I was really screwed up, he said. So in the beginning it was a little bit of a relief, saying, `OK, Im going to take two, three months off, skip to Australian Open, be hungry, come back.Instead, Tipsarevic first underwent surgery on his foot for a benign tumor in May 2014, and because of complications, he needed a second procedure that September.ddddddddddddWith other injuries, a player can at least do some kinds of workouts to ease the mind. But he spent four months mostly confined to bed.I even played tennis for a while sitting on a chair because I couldnt stand, Tipsarevic said. Im not crying you a river here -- Im just telling you how it actually was.Not only did he hate tennis then -- he hated all sports. He was too jealous of any athlete to take in a game.They could run and do what they like, and Im just sitting at home and watching TV, he said.His one solace was his young daughter. Back on court in 2015, Tipsarevic lost seven straight tour-level matches during one stretch, also missing time because of a knee injury. Hes No. 250 in the world now, and the two-time U.S. Open quarterfinalist got in this year with a protected ranking.For Querrey, it was a tough first-round matchup as he failed to build on the Djokovic win in the next major after Wimbledon, where he made his first Grand Slam quarterfinal. He hurt his back in Toronto, and said it was just tough to kind of get the motor rolling again.Another American, 19th-seeded Steve Johnson, is up next for del Potro. Johnson was down two sets and a break to 79th-ranked Evgeny Donskoy on Tuesday and saved six match points in the third before winning 4-6, 1-6, 7-6 (2), 6-3, 6-3 in 3 hours, 13 minutes.Before the 142nd-ranked del Potro received a wild card from the U.S. Tennis Association into the tournament, Johnson noted that if that happened, it was possible the Argentine could defeat an American in the first round. Now its Johnson meeting del Potro in the second.He was fuming that he felt his quote was taken out of context -- he pointed out he also said del Potro was deserving of the wild card.Johnson insisted he felt fresh after Tuesdays five-setter. Hell need to be Thursday against an opponent who again is eyeing deep runs at majors.The worst part of my life is totally in the past, del Potro said, and Im living a good present and looking forward for a good future. Cheap NFL Jerseys China Wholesale Jerseys Cheap Jerseys From China Wholesale NFL Jerseys NFL Jerseys From China Wholesale Jerseys Free Shipping Wholesale Jerseys China ' ' '