The Tour cleared up at the top of Puy Mary.
Far behind Colombian Daniel Martinez (Education First), winner of the Dauphiné in August, and German Lennard Kamna (Bora), his runner-up on the stage, the favorites were explained.
Between grown-ups.
And there is no longer any doubt.
The Massif Central has established a very clear hierarchy on the Grande Boucle.
Primoz Roglic (Jumbo Visma), the Yellow Jersey is heading towards a golden destiny in Paris.
This Friday, he finished in the sprint ahead of his young compatriot Tadej Pogacar (Emirates), who is 44 '' overall.
And it is difficult to see who could disturb this Slovenian duo from here on the Champs-Elysées.
Egan Bernal (Ineos Grenadiers) who left 38 '' in the battle, is now sailing in third place overall, 59 '' from the yellow jersey.
Breathless, head bowed, he made it to the finish line with the defeated face of the beaten man.
The Colombian, defending champion, does not have the weapons this season to compete with his opponents from Slovenia.
And the others ?
The French have shown their limits
All the Habs have sunk or shown their limits.
Romain Bardet (AG2R), who fell during the stage and injured his right hip in particular, finished 2'30 '' from Roglic.
Guillaume Martin (Cofidis), third overall in the morning, spent 2'46 '' on the yellow jersey.
These two, respectively 11th and 12th overall, over 3 'will run for a top 10 on this Tour.
Thibaut Pinot (Groupama FDJ) had disappeared from the first ramps of the final climb.
So much so that esteem success in the Alps today seems more than utopian.
Julian Alaphilippe (Deceuninck Quick Step), who had shone at the start of the Tour, victorious in Nice and yellow tunic on his back for three days, tried his luck in the breakaway.
But it did not dampen the relief.
As soon as the road and the pace picked up, he straightened up and coasted.
At Puy Mary, blue-white-red has been erased by white-blue-red: the colors of the Slovenian flag.
Which floats very high on this Tour.
“It was a hard day's work and I am happy to have followed the cadors
(sic)
, confides, a bit modest, Primoz Roglic.
But even if we get closer to Paris every day, there is still a lot of road between now and then.
"