Richard CARAPAZ. 10 with honors. "The Carchi Locomotive" knows how to do it and does it again. First stage win in this Tour, the second at the Grande Boucle (9th stage in a Grand Tour). A race led from the front, with legs and heart. A race that he marks in his notebook and hits like a sniper. If the Tokyo Olympic gold medalist sets a target, he rarely misses it. A ruthless and intelligent rider, capable of reading races like few others in the peloton. Essential, effective: cunning. He knows the breakaway could make it (today the fifth breakaway to reach the finish, after those of Pedersen, Van der Poel, Schmid and Philipsen). He knows it could be the right opportunity: and he seizes it.

Mauro SCHMID. 9. Another second place, the second consecutive, confirming that he's closing his Tour in superb condition. He's one of the few who has been able to win a stage, he's one of the few who never leaves anything untried.

Matteo JORGENSON. 8. The Tour after eighteen stages takes its toll, and he feels today's stage: 4,000 meters of climbing pedaled at almost 42 kilometers per hour. He arrives with his legs crossed, but with his head held high.

Valentin PARET-PEINTRE. 8. The Frenchman knows it won't be easy to take the polka dot jersey, but it's his obsession. Pogacar is lurking, and he's not sitting idle—he goes where his heart takes him: with plenty of heart. Now he's just one point behind the jersey still owned by Taddeo, but he won't be sitting idle.

Tobias JOHANNESSEN. 7. He doesn't hold back today either: always at full throttle, him and his Uno-X. A team that knows how to navigate anywhere, even in the mountains.

Raul GARCIA PIERNA. 6.5. He could position himself a bit higher, a bit further forward, but in any case he's flying high.

Pablo CASTRILLO. 6. He's in great shape, then gradually fades away.

Lenny MARTINEZ. 6.5. He wins the sprint of the yellow jersey group and does it right in front of Remco Evenepoel. The young Frenchman is doing well in his first Tour. He'll be happy, his dad will be happy, Ivano Fanini is happy—he's like an uncle to him.

Mads PEDERSEN. 9. Still on the attack, the Dane. He fights as always and more than ever. He feels the breath on his neck and for this reason decides to leave his direct rivals for the green jersey breathless. He wins the intermediate sprint (+32 over Philipsen), then returns to the ranks and puts himself at the service of the team, carrying water bottles and ice packs. You don't know if by the end of the stage he cleaned some team cars or cooked for everyone. I hope someone toasted with him though. Majestic.

Brandon MCNULTY. 17. No luck, the American tries to resist until the end, but he cracks well before that. The virus circulating in the UAE Team Emirates–XRG house—which put Adam Yates in crisis yesterday—knocks out the American. No luck, Pogacar loses a precious man.