Stage 6

The road

At the start

Châteauroux, where Cavendish began

Pogačar's time trial has carried him to within eight seconds of yellow, with Van der Poel clinging on and Alaphilippe out to 48. Today the race leaves the Loire châteaux for the flat fields of the Berry with one fourth-category climb on the route, and finishes in Châteauroux — where Cavendish won the first of his Tour stages in 2008. The danger is the wind.

How it was won

1. 156 km to go

   A messy intermediate

   With only two men up the road there are real points on offer, and it turns ugly: Colbrelli wags a finger at somebody, and Mørkøv veers across the road to shut the door on Sagan.

2. 2At the line

   Cavendish again in Châteauroux

   The break is caught with 2.5km left, QuickStep's three-man train takes over, and Cavendish storms past Philipsen and Merlier for his second win in three days at a finish he first won a decade ago.

The result