After a stage characterized by many cobbled sections, the Tour de France brought the riders to the Ardennes, with 219.9km from Blinche to Longwy. The break of the day featured maillot jaune Wout Van Aert (Jumbo-Visma), who was brought back with 15km to go as the the teams lifted the pace in the peloton. In a classic finish of the Ardennes, the riders tackled the Cote Montingny sur Chiers in quick succession, 1.6 kilometers at 4.4%, then Cote de Pulventeux, 800 meters at 12.3% which crested at five to the finish, and finally the Cote Religieuses, 1.6 kilometers at 5.8%. UAE Team Emirates moved well with Majka and McNulty accompanying Pogačar on all bumps, allowing the young Slovenian to first neutralise Vuillermoz’s attack (TotalEnergies), and finally to unleash a turn of speed in the last 500 meters .