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We witnessed quite a moving interaction yesterday as Tadej Pogacar's yellow jersey hopes rapidly faded on the final climb.

"I'm gone, I'm dead," the Slovenian was heard saying on his team radio.

"Adam [Yates], fight for the podium. Marc [Soler], always with Tadej. Always with Tadej," came the response.

Soler followed those instructions to the letter, guiding his team leader to the altiport finish in Courchevel.

While things are quiet on the road, let's get some more reaction to the events of yesterday.

The GC race shouldn't be affected today (you never quite know, of course) but here's a reminder of how things stand with four stages left in this year's race:

1. Jonas Vingegaard (Den/Jumbo-Visma) 67hrs 57mins 51secs

2. Tadej Pogacar (Slo/UAE Team Emirates) +7min 35secs

3. Adam Yates (GB/UAE Team Emirates) +10mins 45secs

4. Carlos Rodriguez Cano (Spa/Ineos Grenadiers) +12mins 1sec

5. Simon Yates (GB/Team Jayco-AlUla) +12mins 19secs

6. Pello Bilbao (Spa/Bahrain Victorious) +12mins 50secs

7. Jai Hindley (Aus/Bora-Hansgrohe) +13mins 50secs

8. Felix Gall (Aut/AG2R) +16mins 11secs

9. Sepp Kuss (US/Jumbo-Visma) +16mins 49secs

10. David Gaudu (Fra/Groupama-FDJ) +17mins 57secs

It's been a quiet start and there have not been any changes in the race situation.

Our three brave breakaway riders Victor Campenaerts, Kasper Asgreen and Jonas Abrahamsen are still out in front, their advantage extending slightly out to around one minute 20 seconds with over 50km of riding behind them.

They're not being allowed much room at all.

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While Felix Gall recorded the victory of his career by winning yesterday's Queen stage, the real story was happening one minute and 52 seconds down the road.

Or, rather, seven minutes and 37 seconds behind.

Jonas Vingegaard stands on the brink of retaining his Tour de France title after the Dane opened up a general classification lead of more than seven minutes to second-placed Tadej Pogacar, who cracked on a gruelling day.

Two-time winner Pogacar was dropped with 15km left, leaving his GC hopes all but over.

A silver lining for UAE Team Emirates however was that British team-mate Adam Yates consolidated his position on the podium.

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

One man who did not line up for stage 18 is Wout van Aert.

The Jumbo Visma rider has left the Tour de France to be with his wife Sarah, who will soon give birth to their second child.

The team posted an interview with Van Aert on social media earlier, in which he says it was an "easy decision" and the place for him to be now is at home.

While he may not have been able to take a stage this year, his aim of ensuring Jonas Vingegaard rides into Paris in yellow looks all but assured.

The flag was waved at around 12:40 BST and immediately riders were jostling for position at the front.

Only three men have managed to get free, with Victor Campenaerts (Lotto-Dstny), Kasper Asgreen (Soudal–Quick-Step), and Jonas Abrahamsen (Uno-X) making the early move in the longest stage of this final week.

It appears most riders are feeling yesterday's efforts and happy to hand over to the sprint teams, as many expected.

With just under 150km to go, the leading trio have only been given about one minute.

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On paper at least, it looks as though stage 18 is set up perfectly for a sprinter to take the spotlight.

The question is whether the teams aiming to deliver their main man to the finish line will be strong enough to control the race after five mountainous stages.

With so many teams still searching for a victory at this year's race, there is always the threat of a determined breakaway getting away.

While flat - there are just two category four climbs at Cote de Chambery- Le-Haut at 62km and Cote de Boissieu after 105km - it could be an intriguing tug-of-war to decide who comes out on top...

What are we looking at today then?

Well, after taking on a seemingly endless succession of mountains, the sprinters remaining in the race will see this stage as one in which they can take centre stage.

The profile should set things up for a bunch sprint.

However, the question is what strength will they and their respective teams have left after coming through the latest mountain test?

Caught your breath after Wednesday's gruelling Queen stage?

After the riders survived four hard climbs yesterday, a significantly flatter stage 18 offers the sprinters an opportunity to star.

Whatever happens at the front of the race, it should, all being well, leave Jonas Vingegaard one day closer to a second successive Tour de France victory.

Image source, Getty Images