Wednesday 23: 13:35β13:50 β 17:10β17:30
We are going up the Rhone valley, for what is normally a sprinter stage (a short sprinter stage). However the course is not direct, a few hills were added, and tired sprinters like Milan seem to have been struggling a lot even on flat-ish sections during the last few days. So, who knows if a large group cannot get away again? Last chance before 2 days of pure mountain, for sprinters and flat/flat-ish breakaways specialists.
There was some action in the first climb, 95 km from the goal. The attackers/front came close to the breakaway (less than 30 seconds) and Milan was dropped. But the efforts at the front were not pursued long enough.
In the second climb, Van Aert attacked, he quickly reduced the gap from 1 mn or so to 20-25 seconds, but after the climb he lost ground little by little and returned to the peloton after a few miles.
Random falls happened at the back of the peloton along the course. Until the big crash under the flamme rouge which stopped almost all the riders. Amongst others, Girmay hit the deck.
Only 7 sprinters took part in the sprint. PenhoΓ«t (π«π· FDJ) started the sprint sheltered in 7^th^ position, and finished in 7^th^ position... π