“It feels great to win another stage in the Tour after six years”, Yates reacted afterward. “I didn’t feel amazing today, but I decided to take a chance in the finale. I tried to surprise the others by attacking at the foot of the last climb, and luckily I managed to hold on until the line. This victory means a lot to me. I feel like my form is improving as the race goes on, so I’m looking forward to the next two weeks.”  

On Bastille Day, the riders faced a tough mountain stage. The 165-kilometre route, finishing atop Le Mont-Dore Puy de Sancy, featured eight categorised climbs. Yates was part of a large breakaway from the start, which also included an impressive Victor Campenaerts.  

After a gruelling battle of attrition, five riders remained at the front, including Thymen Arensman and Ben Healy. On the final climb, Yates launched his decisive move. Arensman tried to follow but couldn’t close the gap to the Brit. Having already won the Giro d’Italia earlier this season, Yates added a third career Tour stage victory. It marked the 22nd win of the season for Team Visma | Lease a Bike.  

Meanwhile, the favourites’ group also saw intense action. Team Visma | Lease a Bike looked strong throughout, with Sepp Kuss and Matteo Jorgenson both launching several attacks, though they didn’t lead to any gaps. In the closing kilometres, Jonas Vingegaard responded powerfully to an attack by Tadej Pogačar, and the two crossed the line together. In the general classification, Healy took over the yellow jersey from Pogačar. Vingegaard and Jorgenson remain in fourth and fifth place.  

The Danish team leader looked back on the day with satisfaction. “I’m really happy for Simon that he could take the win today. We definitely wanted someone in the break, and we succeeded with both Simon and Victor – they were both really strong. It’s great that Simon was able to finish it off. Personally, I’m pleased with how I felt today. The team delivered another outstanding performance, which was rewarded with a well-earned stage victory. We can look back on a very successful day.”