Greig Leach

The five who got away on the final climb, the Cote de La Roche aux Faucons, were the ones to contest the sprint for the win. It was Alejandro Valverde (Movistar) who opened up the sprint, but it came down to Julian Alaphilippe (Deceuninck-Quick Step) and Tadej Podacar (UAE Team Emirates) who were throwing their bikes for the victory. Just like last year, Alaphilippe thought he had the win with 50 meters to race, but again someone got around him to take victory. This year it wasn't that he celebrated too early, it was just that Podacar had the better sprint after over 250 kilometers of racing. It was David Gaudu (Groupama-FDJ) rounding out the podium, with Valverde taking 4th on his 41st birthday. Side note, Podagar is young enough to be Valverde's son (of course he isn't). As David Woods knew, he didn't have the sprint to contend for honors with the others, so he finished fifth out of the group of five. That is why he had tried to get away on the Roche aux Faucons.