Stage 7

The road

At the start

249 kilometres across the Morvan

The longest stage the Tour has ridden since 2000, and the first drawn for the route as it was meant to be before Copenhagen fell through: 249 kilometres from Vierzon into the Morvan, five climbs packed into the closing hundred. Van der Poel still holds yellow, eight seconds up on Pogačar. A day for the break, if the sprinters concede Le Creusot is beyond them.

How it was won

1. 154 km to go

   Stuyven and Campanaerts bridge

   Fifty-four kilometres from Le Creusot the pair set off after the leading duo and take eight kilometres to get there. The new quartet stretches its lead over the rest of the break to 1:45.

2. 235 km to go

   Mohorič sets the tempo

   The Slovenian drives all the way up the climb and Campanaerts cannot hold it. Behind, attacks from Nibali, Konrad and Bonnamour whittle the chase down to the strongest — Van der Poel and Van Aert among them.

3. 318 km to go

   Signal d'Uchon

   On the double-digit ramps of the penultimate climb Mohorič goes to work and simply grinds the race off his wheel — Van Moer first, then Stuyven. After 230 kilometres of the longest stage of the Tour he crests alone, and nobody behind has anything left to organise a chase with.

4. 48 km to go

   Van Aert goes for yellow

   Eight kilometres out Van Aert attacks the last climb trying to shed Van der Poel and take the jersey off him. The Dutchman refuses to be dropped, everyone else is, and the two of them ride to the line together.

5. 5At the line

   Mohorič in Le Creusot

   Mohorič wins the longest stage of the race alone. Van der Poel keeps yellow and extends it; the peloton rolls in 5:15 down.

The result