Agony and ecstasy: A close up view of the Tour de France finish on Puy de Dôme

The 2023 Tour de France witnessed an opening week for the ages with stage 9 up the mythical Puy de Dôme providing a fitting finale.

Matteo Jorgenson (Movistar) seemed set to take a career-defining win on the volcano that hadn’t appeared at the Tour since 1988, before Michael Woods (Israel-Premier Tech) bridged a two-minute gap across the climb’s final four kilometres and overtook the American, achieving something he’d always dreamt of, a victory at the Tour de France.

Behind, the GC battle ensued with the groups of favourites splintering as the inclines increased. Only Carlos Rodríguez (Ineos Grenadiers), Tom Pidcock (Ineos Grenadiers) and Simon Yates (Jayco AlUla) could live with the two favourites, Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates) and Jonas Vingegaard (Jumbo-Visma), before our two protagonists decided it was time to show their hands and leave the rest in their wake.

Pogačar created separation from the Dane, but it wasn’t as significant as on stage 6 when he took back 28 seconds in the fight for the maillot jaune. Vingegaard by no means cracked, but it has left the situation poised with the last two Tour de France winners separated only by 17 seconds going into week two.

The remainder of the field came to the summit in ones and twos amidst the silence of their thoughts with no crowd to welcome them and only the sound of their breath, gears and the helicopter above to listen to.

Pro cycling photographer Chris Auld was present to capture the experience of the riders in the heat of the Massif Central atop the Puy de Dôme on stage 9. Enjoy his full-width shots in all their glory below.