“I really wanted to win the stage today”, Vingegaard said after crossing the finish on the rain-soaked mountaintop. “But Thymen was incredibly strong. In the end, he’s the deserved winner of this stage. I felt good and decided to fully focus on the stage win. Unfortunately, I just missed out.”

The stage, shortened by the organizers to 93 kilometers, led the peloton through the Alps via the Col du Pré and the Cormet de Roselend before the final climb to La Plagne. Early on, riders such as Victor Campenaerts were very active, but it became clear that some favorites were not willing to let a large breakaway go up the road.

The Belgian then shifted his efforts to support Vingegaard, riding alongside a strong Simon Yates to keep the Dane sheltered throughout the day. On the final ascent to La Plagne, the group of favorites quickly thinned out. That was the moment for Thymen Arensman to attack. Vingegaard closed to within a few meters from the chasing group, but it was the Dutchman who ultimately claimed the win.

Head of Racing Grischa Niermann acknowledged how close Vingegaard came to the victory. “Our primary goal was to win the stage. It quickly became clear that other teams had the same plan. We were convinced that the way we rode today would give us the best chance. Unfortunately, we ran into a very strong Arensman at the end. It was close, but we just couldn’t pull it off”, said the German.