Stage 12

The road

At the start

Beaujolais, before the storm

Nothing has changed for three days: Jonas Vingegaard by 17 seconds from Tadej Pogačar, Jai Hindley at 2:40. Fabio Jakobsen does not start this morning. Today is 169 kilometres from Roanne through the Beaujolais vineyards over six categorised climbs, the Col de la Croix Rosier cresting twenty-nine from Belleville with a descent to the line. Tomorrow the Alps begin, and everyone knows it.

How it was won

1. 189 km to go

   A brutal fight for the break

   It takes 80km of relentless attacking before a breakaway can finally form, even Vingegaard and Pogačar caught up in one of the hardest starts of the race.

2. 250 km to go

   Van der Poel flies the descents

   Van der Poel slips off the front on the plunging descents and goes solo with just under 50km to go, taking every risk to stretch his advantage over the Beaujolais hills.

3. 332 km to go

   The catch

   Jorgenson and Pinot finally haul Van der Poel back with 32km to go, the rest of the shattered break clawing across to them.

4. 430 km to go

   Izagirre attacks the Croix Rosier

   Ion Izagirre counters immediately and drops everyone 2.4km from the crest of the Col de la Croix Rosier; the exhausted Van der Poel blows up spectacularly behind.

5. 5At the line

   Belleville-en-Beaujolais

   Izagirre carries 20 seconds over the top and dances it up on the long descent for an incredible 30km solo win, Cofidis' second stage of the Tour.

The result