Greg Van Avermaet stays in yellow as Julian Alaphilippe wins Tour de France stage 10 in the Alps

Julian Alaphilippe produced the ride of his life to win stage 10 of the Tour de France as Greg Van Avermaet extended his lead in the yellow jersey following a thrilling day in the Alps.

Van Avermaet was expected to surrender the race lead he has held since the stage three team time trial as the race moved into the mountains for the first time, but the Olympic champion defied predictions as he joined a breakaway and stayed away on the road to Le Grand-Bornand.

The BMC rider crossed the line at the end of the 158.5km stage from Annecy fourth on the stage but around a minute and a half ahead of the main group of contenders, which included Team Sky's Chris Froome and Geraint Thomas, plus Adam Yates of Mitchelton-Scott.

Alaphilippe, 26, delivered his first career Tour stage win after moving off the front of the break at the summit of the Col de Romme, 28.5km from home.

The Quick-Step Floors rider gradually pulled away as he turned a bid for the climbers' polka-dot jersey into a first French stage win of this Tour.

After his BMC team-mate Richie Porte crashed out of the Tour on Sunday, Van Avermaet started the second week with no agenda but to stay in yellow as long as he could, and put in a ride to honour the jersey here.

He joined an 18-strong break that had moved seven minutes clear by the time they crested the summit of the Montee du plateau des Glieres, heading on to the gravel roads over the plateau made famous by the French resistance in World War II.

Sky were pacing the peloton behind but after slowing the pace to wait for Froome - who suffered a puncture on the short gravel section - they could not fully reel in the break.

Van Avermaet's effort extended his lead over Thomas to two minutes and 22 seconds, with Movistar's Alejandro Valverde up to third, three minutes and 10 seconds down. Froome is sixth, a further 11 seconds back.

"There's a lot of emotion, because winning at the Tour is not easy," said Alaphilippe. "I came close in my first Tour two years ago, and to win in this way, it's unexpected because... I don't even have the words."

Stage 10:

1 Julian Alaphilippe (Fra) Quick-Step Floors 04:25:27
2 Ion Izagirre (Spa) Bahrain-Merida +1:34
3 Rein Taaramäe (Est) Direct Energie +1:40
4 Greg Van Avermaet (Bel) BMC Racing Team +1:44
5 Serge Pauwels (Bel) Dimension Data
6 Lilian Calmejane (Fra) Direct Energie +2:24
7 Daniel Martin (Irl) UAE Team Emirates +3:23
8 Primoz Roglic (Slo) LottoNL-Jumbo
9 David Gaudu (Fra) Groupama-FDJ
10 Geraint Thomas (GBr) Team Sky

General Classification:

1 Greg Van Avermaet (Bel) BMC Racing Team 40:34:28
2 Geraint Thomas (GBr) Team Sky +2:22
3 Alejandro Valverde (Spa) Movistar Team +3:10
4 Jakob Fuglsang (Den) Astana Pro Team +3:12
5 Bob Jungels (Lux) Quick-Step Floors +3:20
6 Chris Froome (GBr) Team Sky +3:21
7 Adam Yates (GBr) Mitchelton-Scott
8 Mikel Landa (Spa) Movistar Team
9 Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) Bahrain-Merida +3:27
10 Primoz Roglic (Slo) LottoNL-Jumbo +3:36