Adam Yates survives "absolute carnage" to stay in Tour de France contention

Adam Yates had Geraint Thomas and Daniel Martínez alongside him. As third option for INEOS Grenadiers according to some, and his lack of experience in the cobbles, the Briton was in a vulnerable position for yesterday's stage, however closed it with a golden key.

"We got through okay. I said that at the beginning, as long as we get through in one piece and don't crash and not lose any time then that's a good day," he said in a flash interview, and sure enough INEOS Grenadiers managed to save the day - unlike several of it's rivals.

"I think G crashed, so not a perfect day but we didn't lose much time. I think we can be pretty happy with that. On the cobbles it's not the hard bit to be honest. It's before and after. Before it's absolute carnage. I almost made the front but I got caught behind a crash," he added. Having been dropped as his teammate Geraint Thomas, Jack Haig and Primoz Roglic crashed, he stayed in the chasing group where Jumbo-Visma put in a serious amount of work.

"Yesterday was a real lung-buster and today the same. The race has really started now - tomorrow is a long stage and a bit tricky in the final. We'll see what happens," Yates concluded. He's eighth in the overall classification, the best placed rider of the British team and showing convincing form after his Covid-19 stint.