In the greatest escape across the Alps since Julie Andrews led the Von Trapp fugitives to safety in the Sound Of Music, Jonas Vingegaard rode into the Yellow Jersey.
As the Tour de France caught fire on an epic stage, Britain's Geraint Thomas climbed every mountain to stay in contention as deposed leader Tadej Pogacar – who had looked invincible – cracked. The Slovenian, on a hat-trick of titles at Le Tour, was threatening to turn the route to Paris into a procession.
But with Pogacar's team depleted by Covid, Danish warrior Vingegaard – runner-up 12 months ago – seized his chance on the unforgiving Col du Granon and surged over the horizon. For Thomas, winner of the Yellow Jersey in 2018 and runner-up three years ago, it was just his rotten luck that, on the day he finally reeled in Pogacar, Vingegaard should cut loose.
At 36, the Welshman has shown tenacity to stay in the hunt for a podium finish, and he remains fourth on the general classification, where only 10 seconds separate Romain Bardet, Pogacar and Thomas behind the great Dane. There seemed no imminent danger of Pogacar blowing a gasket when he was captured smiling and waving to the cameras at the foot of the Granon. He was not laughing by the summit.
This was only the second time the Granon had appeared in the Tour. On the previous occasion, Greg LeMond captured the maillot jaune yellow from French legend Bernard Hinault in 1986, and the five-time winner never wore it again. Now this 95-mile classic from Albertville over the Col du Telegraphe, the feared Col du Galibier – at a lung-bursting 8,668ft altitude – and the Granon will also take its place in Le Tour's pantheon.
Vingegaard's powerful Jumbo-Visma train pulled off an audacious heist, and Pogacar simply could not cope. He trailed home in seventh on the stage, 2min 51sec behind Vingegaard, and the 23-year-old defending champion is now down to third overall, just four seconds ahead of Thomas.
Now comes the tricky part – back over the Galibier and another summit summit on the Tour's signature climb, the Alpe d'Huez, on Bastille Day. There will be no scope for tired legs or photo opportunities with the thirsty patrons of 'Dutch corner' on bend No.7 of the mountain's 21 hairpin bends.
Thomas said: “I didn't expect Pogacar to crack like he did, but he's going to come out swinging tomorrow – and hopefully we can play our part as well. I was just trying to get to the top as quick as I could and pace myself, but obviously Jumbo were on one today. An incredible ride by them.
“They had the numbers and they used it. We expected it, but over the Galibier it was all in ones and twos, it was crazy. Then it came back together, and then on that final climb it blew up again and it was just a grind.”
Vingegaard, who took off from the Grand Depart in his native Denmark a fortnight ago as Jumbo's Plan B behind Primoz Roglic, is now in the box seat – and he will be difficult to shift before Paris. He said: "It's really incredible. This is what I dreamed of always. A stage in the Tour and now the Yellow Jersey.
"We made a plan from the start of the day and I guess you could see what the plan was. We made it a super hard race."
