A sprinter’s moment
On a stage that promised little drama and delivered everything, Jasper Philipsen seized a long-awaited opportunity. The victory came on a 174.7-kilometer flat ride that finished in Voiron, a stage seemingly tailor-made for his talents.
Early moves and mountain points
The race began with a sharp pace as Baptiste Velstroffer launched an early breakaway. He was soon joined by Jonas Abrahamsen and others, but their lead fizzled before it could become significant. With the peloton largely intact, the day's drama shifted to the categorised climbs.
Valentin Paret-Peintre took the mountain points on the Côte de Bassa, a Category 4 climb. Later, Richard Carapaz earned points in the mountains classification at the Côte de Rossillon. Mathieu van der Poel then moved up the Col de Prés first, showing his own form as the stage approached its final straight.
The final sprint
With the terrain flattening and the finish line in sight, the sprinters lined up for the final dash. Philipsen, timing his effort with precision, came through the pack just in time. The sprint was close, but he managed to outpace Schmid at the line, sealing the victory that had eluded him in past Tours.