Valentin PARET-PEINTRE. 10 and praise. The wolves disguise themselves as foxes, and on the Ventoux (oceanic crowd, sublime race: vote 10) the Davide Bramati boys put on a capital performance. All day on the attack, everything prepared for a great team finale. Missing Remco? So be it. They take care of it, Valentin takes a stage that truly defines a career. For the Transalpine of Soudal Quick-Step, three victories so far: one at the Tour of Oman, one at the Giro, and today at the Tour. Few, but good. The boy is still very young, but has shown he has the credentials to become a central figure in this cycling. Today he hits the target, from tomorrow he aims for other goals.

Ben HEALY. 9. He pays for the sprint. The difference is only in that extra drop of energy that the Transalpine manages to pull out after an incredibly fast and deadly stage. The Irishman from EF has nothing to reproach himself for, he just needs to try again.

Santiago BUITRAGO. 6. He has the great opportunity and comes close to the big coup. He is a cunning and intelligent rider, strong in his final burst. In the finale, however, he arrives with wet powder.

Ilian VAN WILDER. 9. He is one of the Soudal pieces launched into the attack from the start. Useful in the finale and while he's at it, he takes home a 4th place that on the Ventoux is not a simple placement.

Tadej POGACAR. 8. Repels four attacks by Vingegaard. He tries one, to which the Dane responds well. Quits even, but one stage less for the Slovenian, gaining two more seconds in the final 50 meters. The Tour is still long, but a bit shorter.

Jonas VINGEGAARD. 7. He would deserve Tadej's vote, but I charge him with a repeated tactical error. He wants to put pressure on the yellow jersey, wants to crack his certainties, but both with Benoot and Campenaerts, found along the road, he leaves too much space to pull, when their pace is not up to par, doesn't hurt, thus allowing Tadej to catch his breath. Too many empty spaces, in a race phase that needed at least two more attacks. Easy to say, you'll say, and I agree, but if you want to put the Martian in difficulty... In compensation, a photographer sends him to the ground after the finish, making him tumble: a blow to the shoulder. Damn!

Enric MAS. 5. Everything right, everything well: he takes and goes in the finale. Then legs are needed, and he doesn't have them.

Julian ALAPHILIPPE. 6.5. It's clearly not his stage, but he wants to prove to himself and everyone that he is still competitive and manages the feat.

Matteo TRENTIN. 8. He is doing a Tour of absolute level. Always present, always attentive and available for his captains. Group reference, exceptional teammate. Today he exhausts himself for LouLou, his leader. He does an obscure work that is right to bring to light. Long live Matteo!

Primoz ROGLIC. 6.5. The Slovenian fights and gains a position in the general classification. He is no longer a young boy, indeed, he acts as a tutor to Lipowitz - a young boy - but while he's at it, he positions himself in the leading zones, to teach something: magister.

Florian LIPOWITZ. 6.5. He follows his captain in his wake: for now he remains on the podium.

Oscar ONLEY. 6.5. Fatigue begins to be felt: the Ventoux is not a pleasure trip, but a journey into history and nature, towards the unknown. It is also a journey towards self-knowledge: Onley is doing it well.

Carlos RODRIGUEZ. 5. A step back, in fact he loses a position in the general classification. For a boy with his characteristics and qualities, this stage is an invitation to the wedding, instead he separates immediately: from the good ones.

Nils POLITT. 7. Tadej's big German positions himself as a locomotive and takes the group away all day as he wants, as Tadej wants. Does a lot without overdoing it.

Simone VELASCO. 7. Decides to throw himself into the real fray. Arrives in the leading group at the foot of the Ventoux, but the windy mountain, in the end, takes his breath away. In any case, well done.

Mathieu VAN DER POEL. 17. He wanted to celebrate grandpa Raymond Poulidor's victory on Monte Ventoso sixty years ago, and for this they had even prepared a commemorative jersey that Alpecin Deceunick wore. The Alpecin, not the Dutch ace, who this morning did not even start due to a form of bronchopneumonia. Damn, for the bronchopneumonia, but also for the withdrawal of a rider who always makes himself heard and seen in the group.