Belgian rider Remco Evenepoel is to make his first Grand Tour appearance at the Giro in October. BELGA/AFP/File/DAVID STOCKMAN
It was the third Tour win of the season for the former footballer tipped for the very top and who will race his first Grand Tour at the Giro d’Italia in October.
Saturday’s stage, which ended with a summit finish at Lagunas de Neila, was won by Ineos’s Colombian climber Ivan Sosa, who crossed the line alone after an attack in the last kilometre.
Local challenger Mikel Landa almost grabbed overall victory with a relentless attack on Evenepoel, who hung on in the last stretch of the climb to win the race he has led since stage three.
Earlier in the season, Evenepoel won the Tour of the Algarve and the Tour of San Juan.