So to stage 12, where 170 riders attempted to make a break for the Lanterne with varying levels of success. Pogacar was the big loser, unable to prevent the entire field taking a minimum of 2'12" on him.
Time gaps were difficult to come by at the important end of the race, with l'autobus coming in with over 40 minutes advantage on the day's fastest time. Nevertheless the inventive Bryan Coquard managed to find an additional 4 minutes by the novel method of breaking two fingers attempting to take a musette. Luka Mezgec came in with him, no doubt asking how he'd managed to pull off such an impressive and potentially prize-winning feat.
Astana's Ballerini came in with Lidl-Trek's Consonni. I'm assuming they were furiously discussing how they'd been mixed up on an internet forum Lanterne Rouge thread the day before.
Cees Bol ceased, withdrawing from the race before the start.
"For those of you following the race that really matters on two tin cans connected by a bit of string, here's the rankings for today's stage:"
The bottom 11 on the top of the Hautacam
Not much movement in the placings, Guillaume was Bovine enough to slip down into the places that matter, at the expense of Sylvan Dillier who forgot to Dallier.
Jordi Meeus made down time on Matteo Vercher and dive-frogged Van Sintmaartensdijk, closing the gap to the bottom by over five minutes.
The bottom ten overall