Greig Leach

It was clear from the helicopter shot that Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin-Deceuninck) had out sprinted the other eighteen sprinters in the mass finish in Bayonne. But it took almost twenty minutes for the commissares to decide if he had sprinted dangerously and shut the door on Wout Van Aert (Jumbo-Visma). He had kept a straight line that led him close to the barriers, it was Van Aert who slowed and seemingly gave up the sprint. In the end Philipsen's victory stood with Phil Bauhaus (Bahrian-Victorious) taking second and Caleb Ewan (Lotto-Dstny) claiming the last step of the stage podium. Many thought this was going to be the stage that Mark Cavendish (Astana-Qazaqkstan) would break the record of stage wins in the Tour, but he only managed a 6th place in his first chance at the record. Stayed tuned! For the record, Van Aert crossed the line just ahead of the Manx Missile. Plus, while Philipsen won the stage and pulled even in points with Lafay, the Frenchman's grapping of points back in the intermediate sprint meant that the Cofidis man will hold onto the Maillot Vert for at least one more stage. It might make the two sprints on offer tomorrow that much more exciting.