Thymen ARENSMAN. 10 and praise. Try asking him what it feels like to win two major stages in Pogacar's Tour, someone who is considered a cannibal, someone who wins if he can and doesn't make gifts. Go ask this Dutch guy, who has talent to spare and perhaps deserves even greater recognition. Two stage wins in the Pogacar era are a great calling card and are worth as much if not more than fifth place at the Vuelta and two sixth places at the Giro. Today he tries, with good legs and great mental strength. He attacks and redeems himself, despite Pogacar always chasing him. He knows he has no other choice and in the end is rewarded with the best result: a victory in the final alpine stage, ahead of Vingegaard, in Pogacar's Tour.

Jonas VINGEGAARD. 6. Words are zero and sound sickeningly hollow. The Tour isn't over, even at the cost of losing second place I'll give everything to try to win: yes, sure. None of that. He settles behind the Slovenian and does what the Slovenian often does to him: sprint in his face. He takes away second place, but Tadej takes home his fourth Tour. Can he notice the difference?

Tadej POGACAR. 6. I'm a bit tired, he says, and that's already news. He'd like to win the stage, but his legs aren't at their best and Vingegaard doesn't leave him even to go to the bathroom. He tries to chase everyone alone, in the end he understands there's little to do. Lipowitz, in the finale, helps him by dropping Onley, but it's right that Arensman wins. For the Slovenian, there's almost mathematical certainty of the polka dot jersey.

Florian LIPOWITZ. 6.5. He waits for Onley to drop, before that moment, always in a defensive position, never sticking his nose out. From a guy like this, perhaps, one would expect a bit more recklessness.

Oscar ONLEY. 7. He doesn't make the podium, but compared to a year ago the 22-year-old Scottish Picnic rider makes a dizzying leap: from 39th position at 2 hours and 41 minutes, to fourth. Not bad for the guy.

Felix GALL. 6.5. The Decathlon riders run like a great team and take him there to play his part. Roglic collapses, he gains a position in the standings. Being 5th at the Tour de France is not exactly a result to throw away.

Primoz ROGLIC. 5. He tries, with great courage, with great determination, but behind him the UAE team doesn't give him space. In the end, he must surrender to the evidence and just before the start of the final climb leading to La Plagne, the Slovenian gets reabsorbed by the yellow jersey group. Shortly after, he drops and plummets. He slides back, loses three positions, without compromising the top ten. He's 8th, more than honorable for a differently young rider.

Tim WELLENS. 8. He pulls like a madman on the flat section, along the valley leading the best group towards La Plagne. Roglic, who had tried, finds him too uncomfortable, too motivated and too good: also today, as throughout the Tour. What the Belgian did today should have been done yesterday by Matteo Jorgenson. Take note, please.

Jonathan MILAN. 7. Wins the intermediate sprint at Villard-sur-Doron, earning another 20 precious points. Biniam Girmay and Anthony Turgis behind him. Pogacar's third place is ideal for the Friulian sprinter, who now leads the classification with 80 points ahead. We're almost there.