Key events
149km to go: Jonas Vingegaard, Tadej Pogacar, Sepp Kuss, Romain Bardet, Simon Yates and Adam Yates are all in the yellow jersey group that is being hunted down by a peloton led by Ineos Grenadiers.
151km to go: Ineos Grenadiers take up the cudgels at the front of the peloton. At the front of the race, a group of around 15 riders have opened a gap of 21 seconds over the nine-man yellow jersey group.
152km to go: In third place on GC, it looks like Jai Hindley has also missed the break. It would certainly explain his team’s place at the front of the peloton.
154km to go: They’re on the first of many of today’s descents and a number of riders including Jonas Vingegaard, Tadej Pogacar and several other GC big-hitters bridge the gap to lead group. It’s now 22-strong. Julian Alaphilippe, who will have fancied his chances today, has missed the break and is back in a bunch being led by Bora-Hansgrohe.
160km to go: With the gradient at a calf-busting seven per cent, a group of seven riders – Jorgenson, Strong, Charmig, Cavagna, Kwiatkowski, I. Izagirre and Neilands – have opened a small gap as they go over the top of the climb. At the back of the bunch, Fabio Jakobsen has been dropped.
161km to go: Caleb Ewan is already struggling at the back of the peloton. He turns 28 today but doesn’t look to be having the happiest of birthdays thus far.
163km to go: Correction: It’s Israel-Premier Tech’s Krists Neilands who has opened a gap. He’s joined by Bryan Coquard from Cofidis and they’re about 10 seconds clear of the rest.
164km to go: The bunch hits the foot of the first climb, the category three Col de la Moreno. It’s 1,065m high, with an average gradient of 4.7%. Israel-Premier Tech rider Dylan Teuns is towing them along and has opened a tiny gap.
They’re racing on stage 10
166km to go: A group of 10 riders peel off the front but are quickly reeled in by the bunch.
The roll-out continues: There’s another kilometre to go before battle commences and what an early skirmish we have in store. The temperature is around 43 degrees celsius and today’s stage profile looks like a shark’s lower jawbone. Who’d be a pro cyclist? Good luck, lads!
The riders roll out: Facing a stiff five-kilometre category three climb as soon as the flag drops and they are given the signal to begin racing, the prospect of today’s nasty start may have tempered yesterday’s rest day for many riders. It’s a day for a breakaway, which is likely to escape very early this afternoon.
Christian Prudhomme on stage 10: “The European Volcanism Park dedicated to scientific culture opened its doors to the public in 2002 and has received more than seven million visitors over two decades,” writes the Tour Director in his handbook.
“It’s located in the heart of the Chaîne des Puys, which includes some 80 volcanoes and is part of the larger Auvergne range of volcanoes. The park offers attractions and activities combining spectacle, entertainment and education. It will be the first time Vulcania welcome a cycling race.”
Woods scores maiden Tour victory
Stage nine report: Michael Woods won the stage, while Tadej Pogacar continued to chisel into Jonas Vingegaard’s dwindling lead, after climbing clear of the defending champion in the finish to the volcanic summit. Jeremy Whittle reports from Puy de Dome.
Who’s wearing what?
-
Yellow jersey: Jonas Vingegaard (Jumbo-Visma)
-
Green jersey: Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin-Deceuninck)
-
Polka-dot jersey: Neilson Powless (EF Education-EasyPost)
-
White jersey: Tadej Pogacar (UAE Emirates)
The top 10 on GC
1. Jonas Vingegaard (Jumbo-Visma) 38hr 37min 7sec
2. Tadej Pogacar (UAE Emirates) +17sec
3. Jai Hindley (Bora-Hansgrohe) +2min 40sec
4. Carlos Rodriguez (Ineos Grenadiers) +4min 22sec
5. Adam Yates (UAE Emirates) +4min 39sec
6. Simon Yates Jayco-Alula) +4min 44sec
7. Thomas Pidcock (Ineos Grenadiers) +5min 26sec
8. David Gaudu (Groupama-FDJ) +6min 01sec
9. Sepp Kuss (Jumbo-Visma) +6min 45sec
10. Pello Bilbao (DSM -Firmenich) +7min 37sec
Stage 10: Vulcania to Issoire (167.2km)
William Fotheringham on stage 10: After a rest day in Clermont-Ferrand, this is a day for the break to contest a stage through sumptuous scenery. The battle on the climb at the start will be intense and a downhill finish means the final four-mile ascent could see drama aplenty, while there is barely a flat stretch of road in between. This stage will be a target for Julian Alaphilippe, Magnus Cort or other stage hunters such as Daniel Martínez.
