Top 14

With news that Lenny Martinez is now up to virtual fifth place on GC, Pinarello Q36.5 Pro Cycling send a man to the front to help reduce the gap. They have Tom Pidcock in ninth place in the standings but he also won on Alpe d’Huez in 2022 and will like to have a strong ride to consolidate his place in the top 10 today.

The peloton is 4'28" down so they need to get a move on.

The first riders are shelled out of the break, their work for the day done. Ben Healy has been riding for EF team-mate Carapaz while Josh Tarling has done a job for Arensman.

We have the sprint coming up in under 5km.

The team was always split between the green jersey and GC factions but that couldn’t be more apparent than today, where we have three riders in the break with Mads Pedersen and another two in the peloton with Ayuso and Skjelmose. There positions in the top 10 are under threat from Lenny Martinez, whose in the break, but they can’t help with the chase because that would dent the hopes of Pedersen up the road.

That said, there’s no way Pedersen won’t win the sprint now – it comes in less than 10km – so Lidl-Trek might as well start to help reducing the gap now. Unless they have ambitions for the stage through Gee-West or Simmons…

Such is the division of labour with Lidl-Trek than Jackie Durand, on French TV, has said that they almost have two different teams – the Lidl team around Pedersen and the Trek team around Ayuso and Skjelmose. He’s joking, but he also has a point.

It’s still early and a lot can happen between now and the final climb, but the breakaway’s gap is up to 4’15” and it’s looking good for their chances. The Wellens group, which almost rejoined the yellow jersey pack, is now 6’30” back so it’s unlikely they will come back together. But unless more teams help out Red Bull and UAE behind, then one of these escapees will win today’s showpiece summit finish.

We’re hearing that Italy’s Edoardo Affini has withdrawn, so Visma-Lease a Bike are down to just six riders, four of which are in the breakaway today.

Meanwhile, here’s that crash earlier involving Edward Planckaert, Marco Haller and a concrete bollard that was lucky well padded.