165 riders started stage 10 at Annecy. 2 non-starters: Alexis Vuillermoz (AG2R-La Mondiale) and Jens Keukeleire (Lotto-Soudal). After Julian Alaphilippe (Quick Step) and Florian Vachon (Fortuneo-Samsic) got brought back after 10km of racing, Sylvain Chavanel (Direct Energie) rode away with Thomas Degand (Wanty-Groupe Gobert) and Marcus Burghardt (Bora-Hansgrohe). A group of 21 riders was formed in several moves between the col de Bluffy (km 19) and the intermediate sprint won by Peter Sagan at km 29. It comprised Tony Gallopin (AG2R), Elie Gesbert and Amaël Moinard (Cofidis), Ion Izagirre (Bahrain-Merida), Jack Bauer and Daryl Impey (Mitchelton-Scott), Greg Van Avermaet (BMC), Alaphilippe and Philippe Gilbert (Quick Step), Sagan and Lukas Pöstlberger (Bora-Hansgrohe), Serge Pauwels and Tom-Jelte Slagter (Dimension Data), David Gaudu, Rudy Molard and Arthur Vichot (Groupama-FDJ), Robert Gesink (LottoNL-Jumbo), Lilian Calmejane and Rein Taaramäe (Direct Energie), Guillaume Martin and Degand (Wanty-Groupe Gobert).
Molard takes the first cat. 1 KOM
The group split up the col de la Croix-Fry, the first cat. 1 KOM of the 105th Tour de France, Molard beating Taaramäe at the top. Gaudu led the charge but was overtaken by Alaphilippe before the first H.C. KOM at Plateau des Glières. The winner of the Flèche wallonne forged on by himself on the 1.8km long dirt road where Chris Froome (Sky) had a flat tyre before returning to the main peloton. The difference between the fifteen riders regrouped at the front and the bunch led by Team Sky was 6’40’’ with 90km to go. The gap kept increasing in the long downhill to the valley. 8 minutes was the maximum difference as 18 riders regrouped at the front, Bauer, Sagan and Pöstlberger being successively reeled in.
Alaphilippe solo at col de Romme and la Colombière
Taaramäe attacked 7km before the summit of col de Romme while Warren Barguil (Fortuneo-Samsic) rode away from the peloton by himself. Alaphilippe rejoined Taaramäe with 4km to go to the top of the hill. The Quick Step rider went solo to crest in first position, 15’’ ahead of the Estonian. He increased his advantage in the downhill and in the following ascent to col de la Colombière. He passed the last climb with 1’30’’ lead over the first chaser Ion Izagirre. He didn’t make any mistake in the descent to Le Grand-Bornand and had time to enjoy his first Tour de France victory. Fourth on the line, Van Avermaet who was designated the most combative rider of the day courageously retained the yellow jersey in the first Alpine stage.
