2018 Tour de France Stage 10 Results & Recap
Stage 10 of the 2018 Tour de France is in the books. The final results and standings are below, followed by our recap of how the race unfolded.
Race Recap
Alaphilippe dazzles on first alpine stage\nBy Clara Beard
Julian Alaphilippe (Quick-Step Floors) was in tears as he crossed the finish line to take first place on stage 10 at the Tour de France, the first win for the French so far this race. Winner of this year’s Fleche-Wallone, Alaphilippe danced away from his breakaway companions on the penultimate climb col de Romme and eventually won by 1:34 ahead of Ion Izagirre (Bahrain Merida). Rein Taaramäe (Direct Energie) took third place, 1:40 off the pace.
“It’s a lot of emotion because it’s not easy to win a Tour de France stage,” Alaphilippe said. “In my first participation two years ago, I’ve been close but I missed out. To win this way goes beyond my expectation. I’m lost for words. I’m happy to have pleased my family. I’m happy for myself as well. Since last night, I was determined to break away today. But I didn’t think I’d be able to ride like this in the finale. I was a bit disappointed to not win stage 6 in Mûr-de-Bretagne. That finale suited me. I just lost to a stronger rider. I wanted to make it up and the way I won today is the best answer I could give to myself. I’m proud and happy of what I did today. The polka dot jersey wasn’t on my programme but as I was at the front, I tried to get it as well. I really wanted a Tour de France stage victory and now I have it.”
Finishing in fourth place after a big fight in the breakaway to retain the yellow jersey, Greg Van Avermaet (BMC Racing Team) achieved his goal and then some, actually putting time into his GC lead by finishing fourth place. He’s now leading the overall competition by 2’22” ahead of Geraint Thomas (Team Sky). 38-year-old Alejandro Valverde (Movistar Team) moved up to third place on GC, 3 minutes and 10 seconds back.
“It’s always cool when you can go away with the yellow jersey,” Van Avermaet said. “I wasn’t sure what Team Sky would think about it. At the moment I went, nobody reacted. It’s been a nice stage for me. I’m very happy to retain the yellow jersey. One extra day in the lead is definitely special. I’m always going well with a lot of strength the day after the rest day, but Alaphilippe was the strongest to go for the stage win. I attacked with the yellow jersey on the way to Roubaix and today again in the mountains. It’ll remain in the history.”
The 158.5 stage started off with a bang, as a large group of riders established itself on the col de Bluffy, the first small climb of the day. They were: Tony Gallopin (AG2R), Elie Gesbert and Amaël Moinard (Cofidis), Ion Izagirre (Bahrain-Merida), Jack Bauer and Daryl Impey (Mitchelton-Scott), Greg Van Avermaet (BMC), Alaphilippe and Philippe Gilbert (Quick Step), Sagan and Lukas Pöstlberger (Bora-Hansgrohe), Serge Pauwels and Tom-Jelte Slagter (Dimension Data), David Gaudu, Rudy Molard and Arthur Vichot (Groupama-FDJ), Robert Gesink (LottoNL-Jumbo), Lilian Calmejane and Rein Taaramäe (Direct Energie), Guillaume Martin and Degand (Wanty-Groupe Gobert).
The group continued to whittle away as the climbs kept coming, and when Taaramäe attacked on the col de Romme, that’s when things really got serious. Alaphilippe bridged across and kept going, leaving Ion Izagirre (Bahrain - Merida), Rein Taaramäe (Direct Energie), Greg Van Avermaet (BMC Racing Team), Serge Pauwels (Team Dimension Data) and Lilian Calmejane (Direct Energie) to pick up the minor placings. Team Sky set a steady place back in what was left of the peloton, uninterested in putting in a huge bid for Thomas to take over yellow.
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