The big GC day and the summit finish at Torgon saw Team dsm-firmenich take on the race early on, setting up Juliette Labous who fought up the final climb to take a strong fourth place.
Leaving the town of Romont on Saturday morning a long, mostly flat, section of almost 60 kilometres played host to lots of attacks within the bunch but the high speeds ensured no group was able to escape before the race hit the opening climb. Aiming to make the race tough, Team dsm-firmenich took over the pace setting and managed to stretch out the bunch, dropping some riders with the peloton splitting over the top. A long descent followed where a trio managed to escape, with Labous still supported by Eglantine Rayer and Esmée Peperkamp going onto the climb to the line.
With the attackers having built up a one minute advantage, a strong pace was set from around eight kilometres to go and it continued to ramp up; matching the gradients on the road. One-by-one the group thinned down before Labous put in a stinging attack at four kilometres remaining, dragging clear three other riders. Niewiadoma and Vollering then countered on the steep section, with Labous joined by Reusser and Fisher-Black. Continuing to dig deep and fighting all the way to the line, Labous finished the stage in a good fourth place and now moves into the same position on GC for the team.
