Tour of the Alps

The polka dot jersey jumps on his wheel but Garcia Pierna has popped. Schmid rides back on, with Jorgenson behind and Johannessen digging deep himself to return.

It’s cagier than a swim with sharks as Matteo Jorgenson comes to the front and checks out his rivals with a testing acceleration. It comes to nothing – even Garcia Pierna responds – before Paret-Peintre tries the same tactic, which is covered by Carapaz and the others.

The Spaniard from Movistar is the only rider who has not pulled on the front – he’s clearly on the rivet. No attacks just yet, with the victory assured for one of these six riders.

The gap is down to 5’15” but Decathlon have now sent a man towards the front of the pack alongside the Red Bull train.

They’ve been going uphill for quite some time but it’s only now that the Cat.1 ascent to Orcieres-Merlette officially begins. It’s 7.1km at 6.7%. When the race last came here, Primoz Roglic beat his compatriot Tadej Pogacar in what was the latter’s debut Tour, with Frenchman Julian Alaphilippe in the yellow jersey (it was only Stage 4).

The former Olympic champion pulls the break along towards the start of the final climb. He is one of the favourites to win what would only be the second Tour stage win of his career.

In the peloton behind, Pinarello Q36.5’s Xabier Azparren sets the tempo ahead of Remco Evenepoel’s Red Bull train. Pogacar, in yellow, only has two UAE team-mate with him: Grossschartner and the white jersey of Del Toro.

The Bernal chase group appears to have thrown in the towel.