Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe mysteries solved: Was Lipowitz really allowed to go, and what's up with Roglic wearing ankle socks?

Lipowitz was therefore the best of the rest behind Tadej Pogacar and Jonas Vingegaard, and was not far behind the Dane from Visma | Lease a Bike. Lipowitz crossed the finish line just thirteen seconds behind the two-time Tour winner.

“Primoz and I rode well up the climb,” he said at the finish. “I rode quite hard at the front in the first part of the climb, but then I tried to see how well the others were still in the race,” the Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe rider told Eurosport.

Lipowitz was still with Roglic, Uno-X rider Tobias Halland Johannessen, and Oscar Onley of Picnic PostNL. "There was a gap, and Oscar and I ended up in front. I stayed on his wheel in case Primoz came back, but in the end, I went for it. Then I pushed hard until the finish."

It paid off because Lipowitz rode away from the other men in the final kilometers. “We can be very happy with this. We are both in the GC, which offers opportunities in the coming days,” said Lipowitz, who is fourth after the stage in the Pyrenees.

Roglic finished ninth and is now seventh, but was also suddenly riding with ankle socks. He explained this in his own unique way. “It's hot, isn't it? I'm working on my tan for the summer without those lines on my legs.”

Afterward, he also commented on his day at Cyclism'Actu. “It went fast, too fast for me. It was a tough battle with myself in the last seven kilometers, and I'm tired. I discussed with Florian that he was allowed to go if he felt good, so he did. I'm thrilled that he's doing so well.”