Team Ineos boss Dave Brailsford said Tuesday his riders were perfectly poised for another Tour de France win at the halfway stage after 10 rollercoaster stages so far.

The action packed 2019 Tour de France reached its halfway stage with several favourites getting blown down the standings by the wind on the road to Albi on Monday.

Dutch rookie Wout van Aert won stage 10 of the Tour de France on Monday as Julian Alaphilippe extended his overall lead after a blistering late charge split the peloton.

South African Daryl Impey won stage nine of the Tour de France on Sunday, leaving local fans to settle for Frenchman Julian Alaphilippe keeping hold of the yellow jersey on Bastille Day.

Thomas De Gendt won Saturday's Tour de France eighth stage with a solo breakaway as home hero Julian Alaphilippe thrillingly won back the yellow jersey on the eve of the Bastille Day national holiday.

American Tejay Van Garderen, who crashed on stage 7 and broke a bone in his left hand, has dropped out of the Tour de France, his team, Education First, said.

Dutch speed king Dylan Groenewegen edged an ultra-tight bunch sprint on stage seven of the Tour de France on Friday as Italy's Giulio Ciccone retained the overall race lead.

Trek-Segafredo announced that young Italian climber Giulio Ciccone has prolonged his contract through 2021. 

Defending Tour de France champion Geraint Thomas defied his doubters Thursday as Belgian Dylan Teuns won stage six and his breakaway partner Giulio Ciccone snatched the yellow jersey by just a few seconds on an iconic mountain stage.

Slovakia's Peter Sagan kept enough strength in reserve in the hills of Alsace to win a reduced bunch sprint for his 12th overall Tour de France stage win on Wednesday.