Hello and welcome to Cyclingnews' live coverage of stage 10 of the 2023 Tour de France!
With the first rest day behind us and 12 stages left to race, we head into the second week with three hillier stages before venturing back into the high mountains at the weekend.
Today's stage is a 167.2km test from Vulcania, a volcano-themed amusement park, to Issoire. The riders will have five categorised climbs to deal with in the sweltering heat of central France, and the parcours should suit the breakaway specialists.
Here's a look at the jagged profile of stage 10 which shows how we'll be climbing straight from the flag being waved. There should be an almighty fight for the break once we get started and any team who missed out on the spoils of an electric first week will want to get something out of today.
Neutralised start: 13:05 CEST
Official start: 13:20 CEST
The riders are completing sign-ons and the team presentation in Vulcania with cooling vests a very common choice for the riders on such a hot day. Here's Tony Gallopin (Lidl-Trek) receiving a great reception on stage the day after announcing his retirement.
TODAY'S TOUR DE FRANCE MENU
There are a maximum of 13 king of the mountains points on offer today, so expect Neilson Powless (EF Education-EasyPost) to be in the fight for the break and trying to extend his lead over Felix Gall (AG2R-Citroën). His teammate Magnus Cort is also one of the favourites for the day and Alberto Bettiol could be another option for the American team. This would've been one of the stages they highlighted as a great opportunity before the race, so look out for pink jerseys.
We're underway from the neutralised start in Vulcania. Issoire here we come. We'll be climbing almost straight away in the heat with a spicy first few kilometres incoming. It's a long neutralised section in the départ fictif with 7.5km of steady riding before the race explodes into life.
All teams and riders were warming up on the rollers and turbo trainers before the day to get the legs moving before it all kicks off. It's going to be hot, it's going to be hard. Don't miss out on what should be an almighty fight to get into the break of the day.
All smiles for yellow jersey wearer, Jonas Vingegaard (Jumbo-Visma), on the start line today.
The bunch looks nervous on what is set to be a brutal re-introduction to racing at the 110th Tour de France. The Massif Central will be our arena for battle in the heat.
There's been some early mechanical issues for Christophe Laporte (Jumbo-Visma) and Stefan Küng (Groupama-FDJ).
167.2KM TO GO
The Col de la Moréno (4.8km at 4.7%) is first up with most teams obviously interested. Still cagey for now though, with no big attack launched yet.
Nelson Oliveira (Movistar) has gone off the front with Quinten Hermans (Alpecin-Deceuninck) for company. There's a bigger group of around eight riders chasing onto them.
Dylan Teuns (Israel-Premier Tech) is the next to try his luck off the front but he is quickly joined by Wout van Aert (Jumbo-Visma), who was one of the big favourites for the day.
Israel-Premier Tech are clearly keen to make it back-to-back stage wins after Michael Woods triumphed on stage 9 up the Puy de Dôme. Mattias Skjelmose (Lidl-Trek) is also well towards the front and could be a good pick for the day.
Van Aert obviously wants to make this move. Caleb Ewan (Lotto-Dstny) has been caught up in a slowing at the back of the bunch on today, his birthday.
Local lad, Rémi Cavagna (Soudal-QuickStep), will be delighted to have made this early move for now. Of course, the fight for the break is far from over. He's joined by Michał Kwiatkowski, Ion Izagirre (Cofidis), Anthon Charmig (Uno-X) and the Israel duo of Krists Neilands and Corbin Strong.
160KM TO GO
We've got an incredibly strong and limited group of our GC favourites in the second group on the road. This race is split up all over the road. We're going to have the top two favourites for the overall at the head of the day with over 150km left to ride.
We're over the first climbing test of the day, but it's far from the last. We'll have a small descending section before we get back to work on the Col de Guéry. That rest day is going to feel like it was an age ago with such a brutal stinging of the legs straight from the flag.
Jai Hindley (Bora-Hansgrohe) seems to have missed this move with some of his teammates working to reduce a 45 second gap from the third group on the road to the group of favourites. Vingegaard only has Sepp Kuss for company, while Pogačar has Adam Yates and Rafał Majka close behind. What a start.
Pogačar made a huge effort to bridge the final few metres to the leading group which was curious, as it seems to have put Majka and Yates in difficulty.
Behind, Ineos Grenadiers have had a nightmare and missed the move with their big GC favourites. Kwiatkowski is there, but Tom Pidcock (7th overall) and Carlos Rodríguez (4th overall) haven't made it. Panic stations in the group behind for those who've missed it.
We've split up again in the front with the two GC principals now not at the very front of the race and actually sat 20 seconds behind. Things should all come back together and calm down.
150KM TO GO
Van Aert has shot our of the peloton with Victor Campenaerts and the Lidl-Trek duo of Jasper Stuyven and Giulio Ciccone. Stuyven actually got dropped as I typed that, but the other three have made it into the break. No one will want to see that red-bull helmet in their with them.
Mohorič is the next rider to realise he has to make this move. The Ineos Grenadiers being forced to bring their GC leaders back has given riders in the peloton a second launch pad to bridge the gap.
The peloton is actually about to bring the break back now. We're all back together and we should have round two any second in this big fight for the break.
Here's a look at the Puy de Dôme in all its glory as the peloton passes, rather than ascends it on today's stage. Beautiful views throughout central France on show all day today.
Romain Bardet (DSM-Firmenich) is starting to suffer under the unrelenting pressure of the day's opening 20km.
Neilands goes again. The Latvian is clearly in fine form today as he's been active from the very start. The peloton are still riding extremely hard behind though, with the GC favourites right toward the fore. Tiesj Benoot (Jumbo-Visma) is giving a lot on the front as one of Vingegaard's few remaining teammates trying to establish some sort of control.
David Gaudu (Groupama-FDJ) has been dropped out the back and is believed to be at 1:28 seconds from the race lead. Absolute disaster of a start for the Frenchman.
There are riders scattered everywhere across the roads. This start has put almost two thirds of the peloton into supreme suffering. Neilands looks in contrast, fantastic at the front.
Wout Poels (Bahrain Victorious) is making his way across to Neilands. We've seen the Dutchman be tremendous at the Tour in his career so he'll be a good companion for Neilands. Poels took the KOM points atop the second classified climb of the day.
We're onto our second descent of the day and what a sight it is before us. Alaphilippe in full descending flow, panache personified and giving it everything at the head of the race. Loulou putting on a show. He's got Mohorič on his wheel as clearly the only man able to follow him. These two are the absolute finest on the downhills in cycling.
Is Mohorič using his dropper seat post that he used to aid him win Milan-Sanremo in 2022?
130KM TO GO
There are four hopeful chasers trying to bridge across to Mohorič and Alaphilippe on this uncategorised section of climbing: Lilian Calmejane and Georg Zimmermann (Intermarché-Circus-Wanty), Oliveira and Neilands.
Scratch that, we're coming back together again. There's still teams unhappy with the composition and unhappy to let it go. Non-stop racing for nearly 40km now. Kuss is doing a tremendous amount of work for Jumbo in the group which is strange.
Groupama-FDJ have a full training going to try and bring Gaudu's GC hopes out of the fire in the chasing group. Esteban Chaves (EF Education-EasyPost) has been riding nicely today, always towards the front and looking strong.
Our next group to try contains Skjelmose and Asgreen. There's some snaking on the road and looking around behind in the peloton (or what's left of it) and this group at the front is now working well to build an advantage.
Philipsen has gestured a revving of a motorcycle in the third group on the road to show just how difficult this start has been. It's still not over as well.
Here's our leading group of seven for now:
- Esteban Chaves (EF Education-EasyPost)
- Kasper Asgreen (Soudal-QuickStep)
- Pello Bilbao (Bahrain Victorious)
- Mattias Skjelmose (Lidl-Trek)
- Georg Zimmermann (Intermarché-Circus-Wanty)
- Nick Schultz (Israel-Premier Tech)
- Warren Barguil (Arkéa-Samsic)
Pogačar is glued to Vingegaard's wheel in this second group on the road.
120KM TO GO
Alaphilippe is shaking his head and huffing and puffing as he tries to muster up more strength in the group of pursuers. Here's a look at him from his earlier attack with Mohorič.
DSM-Firmenich and Groupama-FDJ have their near full contingents of riders working on the front in the third group to try and save their GC leaders. They aren't, however, making much of a dent into the leading group and are set to still lose around two minutes as it stands.
CURRENT SITUATION AT 111KM TO GO
Gaudu and Bardet will be delighted that there disadvantage is now only 1:00 with the remnants of the peloton finally somewhat calming. Jumbo have assumed their place at the front and are riding a much more reasonable tempo. The two French GC men should make it back in thanks to their respective teams.
Asgreen takes the intermediate sprint point ahead of Barguil, but Soudal-QuickStep will be much happier to almost have two riders in this front group as the Alaphilippe group closes in on the head of the race. Philipsen shows just how versatile he is to hang onto an absolutely obliterated peloton to take the solitary green jersey point still available. Most of the other sprinters are well out the back by now and will just be hoping to meet the time cut today.
As we start the Col de la Croix Saint-Robert (6km at 6.3%), Guillame Martin (Cofidis) shoots off the front of the peloton in pursuit of the break. He's done it before and gained lots of time on GC in his history, but a 1:48 gap is quite significant to close on just one climb.
As we finally calm down at the front, here's a look at how closely our two GC favourites were forced to watch each other in today's electric start.
O'Connor has attacked away from his chasing group companions to try and ensure he makes the day's break. At the front of the road, Barguil has attacked the break on the climb. Chaves is first to follow as Bilbao paces the group and the rest siphon into his wheel. Asgreen is at the back likely waiting for Alaphilippe.
104KM TO GO
O'Connor has flew across the gap and made it to the front. He looks very very strong. Could this be a return of the legs that saw him win into Tignes two years ago and that saw him podium to Dauphiné last month?
Jumbo-Visma seem to be drilling it on the front as multiple riders are being dropped again, namely Mikkel Bjerg (UAE Team Emirates) and Kevin Geniets (Groupama-FDJ). They clearly aren't too happy with Bilbao's presence in the front as he is only 7:37 back on Vingegaard overall.
Chavez moves off the front, but he's hunted down by a former king of the mountains winner, Barguil, before the top of the Col de la Croix Saint-Robert (6km at 6.3%). Our second group on the road struggled on the climb and now sit 44 seconds behind. Only O'Connor was strong enough, but look for Alaphilippe to descend full gas to try and close the gap.
"Wout being Wout"
Alalphilippe is closing the gap as expected on the descent. He's giving the legs a shake out with Asgreen also working for him on the front. Gap is now at just over 20 seconds.
85KM TO GO
Chavez attacks almost instantaneously as the catch it made. The Colombian national champion clearly didn't want that big a group around him. On a side note, his jersey is absolutely beautiful. You can see it below in the middle of the group. Asgreen has dropped as a result of this pace increase.
Chavez is looking great here and has 32 seconds of an advantage already.
Chavez takes the maximum points atop the Côte de Saint-Victor-la-Rivière (3km at 5.9%). There's now a 50km portion without any categorised climbs, but the parcours is hardly flat and will jag up and down all the way till the foot of the Côte de la Chapelle-Marcousse (6.5km at 5.6%).
Israel-Premier Tech have got onto the team radio to remind their riders to fuel. After the ridiculous two hours of non-stop racing we had to start stage 10 in the heat, it will be even more important and could be the difference between fighting for the win and blowing up.
77KM TO GO
The peloton are passing through the lovely looking, Besse en Chandesse with a band playing them on. They have maintained the gap to the break at just over 3:00. Bilbao would move up to seventh from 11th if the race was to end right now.
Alpecin-Deceuninck have moved to the front of the peloton with Silvain Dillier. Are they working to chase the break down to let Van der Poel challenge for the win?
72KM TO GO
Full composition of the breakaway:
- Michał Kwiatkowski (Ineos Grenadiers)
- Esteban Chaves (EF Education-EasyPost)
- Julian Alaphilippe (Soudal-QuickStep)
- Kasper Asgreen (Soudal-QuickStep)
- Pello Bilbao (Bahrain Victorious)
- Mattias Skjelmose (Lidl-Trek)
- Ben O'Connor (AG2R-Citroën)
- Georg Zimmermann (Intermarché-Circus-Wanty)
- Anthony Perez (Cofidis)
- Antonio Pedrero (Movistar)
- Krists Neilands (Israel-Premier Tech)
- Nick Schultz (Israel-Premier Tech)
- Warren Barguil (Arkéa-Samsic)
- Harold Tejada (Astana Qazaqstan)
The leaders are currently on the uncategorised Col de la Chamoune. In around 13km, they will start a big descent en route to the foot of our final categorised climb of the stage, the Côte de la Chapelle-Marcousse (6.5km at 5.6%), before descending down into Issoire.
60KM TO GO
Jayco are joined by Alpecin taking up the mantle of working on the stage, one team to protect their GC ambitions and one to try and possibly get the stage win.
It's actually Van der Poel himself who has been put to work, can Philipsen survive all these climbs and sprint for the win?
It's absolutely roasting at the finish line with temperatures around 40 degrees. There is a chance of some thunderstorms and rain also, however.
55KM TO GO
Van der Poel is chipping away at the advantage with Durbridge and Van Aert also swapping turns on the front. With so much descending left in the stage, the advantage should be in the break's favour.
Alaphilippe is the next to show his hand before the descent which will be his time to shine. Kwiatkowski isn't far behind.
50KM TO GO
Asgreen and Tejada are struggling to stay in touch on the start to this long descent.
Van der Poel and Van Aert have actually gapped the peloton and are now riding in tandem 2:22 behind the breakaway. It's slightly confusing given the size of the advantage.
They've both been the radio, but are pulling through and helping each other for now. It's like watching the spring Classics all over again.
Here's a look back at Neilands on the attack almost 100km ago when the stage kicked into life. He's still in the breakaway of the day and alongside teammate Nick Schultz, they have a great chance to win back-to-back stage after Michael Woods' triumph on the Puy de Dôme on Sunday.
38KM TO GO
We're nearing the final climb of the day, the Côte de la Chapelle-Marcousse (6.5km at 5.6%), on which there is a kilometre which averages over 7%. The best climbers in the group will want to target this sector if they are to drop the punchers riders with them.
Perez has dropped under the brutal pressure. Skjelmose is struggling at the back of the break now which is surprising.
Skjlemose hasn't given up and has left Kwiatkowski behind as he tries to rejoin the head of the race.
Schultz is setting quite the tempo in the break with Neilands in his wheel, when will the Latvian launch?
Schultz is done and Neilands goes! He's been flying all day long as the group behind him look at each other to decide who's going to chase. He's got a big gap already.
31KM TO GO
Chavez sets off in pursuit of our lone leader with Bilbao in his wheel, Pedrero, Zimmermann and Alaphilippe are also close. Van der Poel has knocked off his effort with Van Aert riding solo.
Alaphilippe, Barguil and O'Connor are now all struggling. The former World Champion will try on the descent, but how much time can he make up on Neilands?
The gap to Ineos is out at 3:45 now to Neilands and 3:15 to Bilbao. Lots of work to do all the way to the line if they want to protect Pidcock's seventh place overall and Rodríguez' fourth place.
Neilands has crossed the Côte de la Chapelle-Marcousse (6.5km at 5.6%) KOM point with an advantage of just under 40 seconds. Bilbao is probably the only man who can descend well enough to have any chance of catching him.
25KM TO GO
Here comes the biggest 22km of Neilands' career as he tries to find glory at the Tour de France. It's not a super technical descent, but more one where power out of the corners and consistency will be very important. He's got five riders trying to chase him down.
The five chasers have already took eight seconds out of our leaders advantage. He'll have to find something extra if he is to hold them off. It will flatten out in the final few kilometres so he'll need to save something for then.
20KM TO GO
Speeds are up to 80km/h in the chasing group. They are eating away at his advantage very, very quickly. Alaphilippe's group is at 44 seconds for now with a very strong group of descenders.
We're about to reach our last kicker on the parcours before the final descent and flat run into Issoire. Neilands has 15 seconds on Bilbao and co. with Alaphilippe's group a further 20 seconds back.
15K TO GO
Pedrero has been gapped by his four fellow chasers. There are reports of a sprint group around 27 minutes down on the road for now. They'll be doing the calculations behind to ensure they survive the time cut on the line, with tomorrow providing the only chance for the fast men in the second week.
Neilands fought back strongly on that uphill sector to revive his slimming advantage. His main worry will be once they got onto the flat section and the break can see him. This is going to be touch and go all the way to the line.
10KM TO GO
CURRENT SITUATION AT 7KM TO GO
Neilands is holding more than a 12 second advantage for now, but he has to keep his effort going. It's flatter as we get toward the end of the stage which doesn't work in his favour. 29 years without a Latvian winner at the Tour de France- this would be incredible if he could pull it off.
It's down to eight seconds now with the group cooperating nicely. Each few hundred metres seems to equal a loss of time for the man out in front.
Our lone leader seems to be running out of steam with the chasers closing in on his back wheel, what a dramatic finish we have in store. The Alaphilippe group also isn't too far behind.
3KM TO GO
O'Connor attacks as he knows the sprint doesn't suit him. Bilbao is straight on him with Pedrero close behind.
Zimmermann closes on his own as Chavez struggles to hold on. There's a brief slowing under the flamme rouge and here we go!
Bilbao looks incredibly strong and its only him and the big German at the front.
They hesitate, they look around and it's coming back together with 400 metres left.
Four hours of full gas racing comes down to this.
STAGE FINISH
Bilbao launched his sprint out of Zimmermann's wheel and the German had no response. His legs were brilliant and he couldn't have played it any better. O'Connor was third on a much better day out for the Australian. We started in his home town of Bilbao and he tried to attack the finish on stage 2, but it wasn't to be. Stage 10 was his day, however, his first-ever stage win at the Tour de France.
Bilbao is sharing a friendly chat with Pogačar and Vingegaard after one of the hardest day of the 2023 Tour de France so far in the sweltering heat of central France.
Here's what an emotional Bilbao said after winning stage 10:
"We started the day full focus. Yesterday we checked the first 40 kilometres and we were expecting a hard race day after the rest day and in a critical moment I checked and we were in with five teammates in the first 20 riders so I just wanted to make the right group if it was possible with two riders. Matej [Mohorič] was attacking all the time, also Fred [Wright], Mikel [Landa], Wout [Poels], Jack [Haig].
"Everybody was trying to go, we were not just thinking in anything, just go full, full, full and at one point I saw the guys in Jumbo [Visma] needed to let one group and that was my opportunity, my chance to go. I knew that was going to be difficult before, but I just went for the right moment when everybody was on their limit and then at one point the time gap started to go down so we needed to go full in the front."
"Everybody was on the limit, Neilands did an impressive attack. I think he was the strongest one, but he spent a lot of energy with the hot wind in the face. In the back group, we just collaborated in the right way and then in the last 3 kilometres, I knew that [I] was the fastest man in the group, so I just took he control, the responsibility."
"I closed the gap with O'Connor first and then, with cold blood, let Zimmermann make his sprint, go on the wheel and just full the last 200 metres without thinking of nothing. And then I crossed the line and I just put out all the energy that I had inside and remembering the reason of this victory."
"A special one, for Gino."
A disappointed Krists Neilands won the consolation prize of the combativity award, but it wasn't the stage win he fought so hard for over the final climb and descent. Here's what he said after the stage:
"It was a really tough stage. It was hard, it was hot, but it was great to be there on the road and we did a really good race as a team and we were always there in the moves and I think we raced really good and did the maximum we could do today. It just didn't work out."
"All eight riders from our team here are able to fight for the stage win from breakaways and that is how we manage it. Also, with Mike Woods' win two days ago this gave us more confidence and motivation."
If you weren't aware, Bilbao also announced pre-Tour that he would be following in the actions of his recently lost teammate Gino Mäder, by donating one Euro for every rider he beats on each stage towards efforts that replant trees in areas of deforestation. This is what Mäder did in previous Grand Tour appearances before his tragic passing at the Tour de Suisse earlier this year. A wonderful gesture that highlights the reason Bilbao was so emotional in taking this special victory. A victory for his former teammate and friend.
We had some changes in the GC today, mainly due to Bilbao's big time gain, with the Bahrain Victorious rider leapfrogging six places past both the Yates twins, Pidcock, Gaudu, Kuss and Bardet into fifth overall thanks to a 3:03 gain. They've hit the ground running after the rest day and this was the best day of the 2023 Tour de France for Bahrain after not getting much out of the first week.
The last group of our remaining 169 riders in the race have just crossed the line, seven minutes inside the 41-minute time cut on what was a brutal day from flag to flag from Vulcania to Issoire. It contained Jakobsen, Ewan and riders from their respective lead-out trains. Tomorrow should be their only chance for a while, so recovery will be key tonight.
Make sure you read Laura Weislo's full report from all of the day's racing and check out our growing gallery from stage 10.
Tour de France: Pello Bilbao scorches sprint from breakaway to win stage 10
Tomorrow's stage is one of the final chances for the sprinters before the final stage on the Champs Élysées and runs 179.8km from Clermont-Ferrand to Moulins. There are three category four climbs on the route, but the profile is far from flat and after such a brutal day in the heat today, will the sprinters teams be able to assume control and stop another break battling it out for the win?
That wraps things up for today's live coverage of stage 10 of the Tour de France. Check back tomorrow for Cyclingnews' live report of stage 11, and in the meantime make sure you read all the great Tour de France content as more news comes out from the day's racing.
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