Stage 18 was one of the final tests for the remaining sprinters, with only two category four climbs and a flat finish. Luke Durbridge and Mathew Hayman of team Mitchelton-SCOTT GreenEDGE were both in the five-man break, which went at over 160km to the finish. Sadly, they were caught around 18km to go.

It was Arnaud Demare who won the day, thanks to the aggressive and coordinated tactics of his team, Groupama–FDJ. The win was no doubt gratifying after fellow sprinter, Andre Greipel (who abandoned this year’s tour on stage 12) insinuated on twitter that Demare had held on to a team car to make the time cuts on yesterday’s stage. Demare responded by sending the German his power files, and going on to win the day today. Greipel apologized and deleted his inflammatory tweet.

Peter Sagan of Bora-Hansgrohe, who is leading the points race for the green jersey, went down in a crash on yesterday’s short mountain stage—but managed to continue and finished today with the lead group. The GC standings remain unchanged.