Stage 15

The road

At the start

Peyra Taillade before the rest day

Michael Matthews won the uphill sprint at Rodez and Froome took the yellow jersey back on the same slope, eighteen seconds up on Aru, 23 on Bardet, 29 on Urán. Today has the strangest profile of the race: rolling roads all day across the Massif Central, with two category-one climbs almost bookending it and the steep Col de Peyra Taillade cresting 33 kilometres from Le Puy-en-Velay.

How it was won

1. 134 km to go

   Chaos on the Peyra Taillade

   AG2R throw everything at the steep Col de Peyra Taillade to isolate Froome, and the yellow jersey is briefly in trouble amid a mechanical and a frantic chase back.

2. 230 km to go

   Mollema flies away

   On the long descent with 29km to go, Bauke Mollema attacks the 28-rider breakaway and rides clear alone toward Le Puy-en-Velay.

3. 315 km to go

   Holding off the chase

   Over the short Côte de Saint-Vidal Mollema clings to a slender lead as Ulissi, Gallopin, Roglič and Barguil try in vain to organise a pursuit.

4. 4At the line

   Mollema’s first Tour win

   Bauke Mollema solos into Le Puy-en-Velay for his maiden Tour stage, while Quintana haemorrhages ten minutes and tumbles out of the top ten.

The result