Tadej POGACAR. 10 and honors. He is the Lone King. Because there is him, only him. Because he always arrives alone. Because between him and the world there is infinity. He wins on one of the symbolic climbs of the Tour, of our sport: the Alpe d'Huez. Up here, extras cannot win, those without a heavy history on their shoulders cannot win. Only those with light legs and the stature of giants can win. Taddeo wins, and while he won't care about history, he continues to rewrite it in fine script. Like an ancient scribe writing a new page and inscribing his name alongside those of Coppi and Zoetemelk, Hinault and Bugno, and Pantani. And the stars stand watching, because behind him are great riders who can do nothing against this prodigy. He does it by shattering Pantani's record (1995, 36'50"), moving it to 35'27". For the world champion, his fifth victory in this Tour, 26th stage in his career, the 18th in the season in 36 days of racing: his 126th career victory. Simple compatibility of a phenomenon.

Lenny MARTINEZ. 9. In the end we're disappointed, because he races like a veteran, hiding like few others, wasting like no one else. He knows that the variable is time: how much time does he have on that guy back there. And staying behind the phenomenon is not easy to say. He comes very close, but this second place is worth so much, so very much.

Richard CARAPAZ. 10. He loses, finishes third, but with him the stage ignites and explodes like a silent volcano. Prize for combativeness? Between him and Mads Pedersen there's a beautiful duel.

Sepp KUSS. 7.5. The American tries to be Vingo's substitute, but he's still the plan B, the surrogate, the poor copy, which however puts on a great show.

Tobias JOHANNESSEN. 7. Gladiatorial as always, for a Tour that confirms him as a born fighter.

Remco EVENEPOEL. 7.5. He is aware of his own talent, of his own improvements. He knows that if the Slovenian weren't there, he would have far more than one chance of success. But the Belgian is fine with this too. A second place behind the phenomenon is phenomenal.

Isaac DEL TORO. 6.5. He races on Seixas' wheel and nibbles away a few seconds from him. Not much, but it's worth a lot. For the podium and the white jersey.

Mattias SKJELMOSE. 8. He takes a great team on his shoulders and proves he is worthy of this squad.

Paul SEIXAS. 7. He is the youngest in this Tour, let's never forget that. He's making his debut and he's fourth. Today he's among the protagonists again. Always there in the thick of the race, never dying.

Juan AYUSO. 3. He was claiming his space, being a domestique to Pogacar was unbecoming. Now he'll do it for Skjelmose.

Tom PIDCOCK. 4. He jumps almost immediately and arrives over 8' back.

Adam YATES. 8. He risks going home, yet he enters the day's breakaway and in the finale he's there up front helping Pogacar. He pilots him for a while, as long as he can, but what character.

Mads PEDERSEN. 9. He seemed done for, or at least it seemed that way. The moment Jasper Philipsen comes back threatening his green jersey, the Dane doesn't lose his composure and enters "attack dog" mode: try to catch me. In recent days he's always in breakaways racking up points he has to sweat for. Today he had to climb a category 1 pass and a category 2 to reach the intermediate sprint set at km 89. He takes it and secures a jersey that now seems to have found its rightful owner again.

Valentin PARET-PEINTRE. 7. The Soudal Quick-Step rider takes a wagon load of points for the polka dot jersey, but in the finale it's Carapaz who raises hell and takes the jersey.

Bruno ARMIRAIL. 8. But how hard does he pull? Like a madman, as if there were no tomorrow, even knowing that tomorrow he'll find himself there again, climbing a mountain that's terrifying: not for him.

Edoardo AFFINI. 17. He shouldn't have been here, yet he makes it this far, doing his job exemplarily. Today he surrenders, but it doesn't matter.