The nervousness was high, partly due to the threat of the wind. The stage with five climbs was marred by some crashes. After the last climb, a reduced peloton remained in the front and sprinted for the stage victory. Steven Kruijswijk and Sepp Kuss finished the stage without problems and were kept in the front by their teammates. In the sprint for the stage victory both leaders crossed the line in the same time as stage winner Thomas.

Sports director Grischa Niermann was disappointed with the disappearance of Hofstede. “It was a nervous and hectic stage. There was also a bit of wind, so we always had to pay attention. Unfortunately, we also lost Lennard in a crash in that frenzy. That’s a pity, because Lennard is an important rider within our team. The whole Dauphiné is very nervous. Everyone seems to want to prove themselves or want to connect the dots for the Tour de France. The other riders came through the stage well. We kept Stevie and Sepp safe towards the final climb. I think they are in good shape and I think that they can climb with the best in the next three days.”