Back on stage 13 -Châtillon-sur-Chalaronne > Le Grand Colombier

On the program today: a flat profile in the magnificent department of Ain with a steep climb to finish.
The first kilometers are the scene of several breakaway attempts. Customary to the fact, Victor Campenaerts (Lotto-Dstny) goes out at km 0, without any real success. We see a brief moment Bryan Coquard (Cofidis) who does not fail to get noticed with the very successful "blue white red" livery of his AR14 helmet.

19 cyclists manage to form a group. There are 110 kilometers left. Among them, three Ekoï riders: Maxim Van Gils (Lotto-Dstny), Hugo Houle (Israel Premier-Tech) and Luca Mozzato (Arkéa-Samsic).

At the bottom of the "Giant of Bugey", the fugitives have a little less than 4 minutes in advance... The start of the ascent hurts. The young Van Gils is still in the game in the quartet of survivors. If he lets today winner pass 10 km from the summit, he will still resist until the end when the yellow jersey peloton returns to clinch a good second place! A small satisfaction for the Belgian formation which loses its sprinter with the abandonment of Caleb Ewan.
Guillaume Martin is 15th overall.