As in Friday's stage, it took a long time today for a definitive breakaway group to form. “Midway through the race, I saw the wearer of the polka dot jersey escape and thought this would be a good opportunity to join,” Vos explained.

The 37-year-old was in the lead group with five other riders. The gap reached up to five minutes, making Vos the virtual leader in the overall standings for a while. “Today, I suffered a lot again, especially towards the end of the stage. The thought of winning the stage crossed my mind, but Justine Ghekiere was clearly the strongest today.”

Vos was caught a few kilometers before the summit of the final climb by the peloton containing all the favorites for the general classification, but the Dutch rider refused to give up easily. “It wasn't too far anymore, so I gritted my teeth,” said Vos, who is now mathematically certain of the green jersey. “But of course, I still have to finish on Alpe d'Huez tomorrow. That’s not going to be easy. It will be a tough day, but one I can approach with confidence."