La Route d’Occitanie got underway with a 171-kilometre stage between Bram and Saint-Paul-Cap-de-Joux in extremely hot conditions. Pietro Mattio was not feeling completely fit and did not take the start. On the hilly course, four riders formed the breakaway of the day. The Team Visma | Lease a Bike riders remained alert in the peloton. With more than thirty kilometres to go, the early escapees were caught. 

Shortly afterwards, Mattia Bais and Jean-Loup Fayolle tried their luck with a two-man attack, but their attempt also came to nothing. No decisive gaps were created on the final climb of the day, the Côte de Fiac. The peloton prepared for a bunch sprint. In the technical final kilometre, Zingle came through strongly, but ultimately had to settle for third place. 

“The hilly course and the high temperatures made it a tough stage,” sports director Robert Wagner said afterwards. “Our goal today was to position Axel well for the finale. He rode a strong sprint, but unfortunately he was not really in contention for the stage victory. It is definitely a result we can build on. Tomorrow, I expect a similar finale, where we can expect to see the same riders involved.”