The stage started in Pau and after Benoît Cosnefroy of AG2R-La Mondiale took a King of the Mountains point on top of the Côte d’Artiguelouve, Switzerland's Marc Hirschi of Team Sunweb launched his attack.

Hirschi was not able to get away from the peloton initially but managed to breakaway with 90km to go.

An eight man group formed behind him but with 45km to go they were swept up by the peloton leaving Hirschi out on his own with a four and a half minute lead.

Hirschi's advantage was reduced as the stage progressed but with 25km to go at the ascent of the final climb, the category one Col de Marie-Blanque, he still had an advantage of just over three and a half minutes.

Behind Hirschi, the general classification race began to hot up as Pogačar attacked with less than three kilometres of the climb remaining.

Britain's Adam Yates of Mitchelton-Scott, who was leading the race going into the stage was isolated and could not hold Pogačar's wheel.

Pogačar established a gap and was joined by Egan Bernal of Team Ineos, followed by Roglič of Team Jumbo-Visma, Richie Porte of Trek-Segafredo and Mikel Landa of Bahrain-McLaren.

Hirschi bravely continued his solo bid for victory but was agonisingly caught by the Pogačar group with two kilometres to go.

A sprint finish was won by Pogačar as he took the stage, which finished in Laurens, in a time of 3 hours 55 min 17 secs, with his countryman Roglič taking second on the road.

Hirschi finished third on the day ahead of Bernal in fourth and Landa in fifth.

The next group on the road were led home by Dutch rider Bauke Mollema of Trek-Segafredo, 11 seconds adrift.

The dramatic mountain stage saw Roglič establish a lead of 21 seconds in the overall standings.

Bernal moved up to second place with France's Guillaume Martin of Cofidis, who finished in seventh on the day, in third overall, 28 seconds behind the leader.

Fellow Frenchman Romain Bardet of AG2R La Mondiale is fourth overall 30 seconds behind Roglič with Nairo Quintana of Arkea-Samsic, in fifth place overall, 32 seconds behind Roglič.

Yates, who surrendered the yellow jersey today, dropped to eighth place overall 1:02 behind new leader Roglič.

Following a rest day tomorrow in Carente-Maritime, the race resumes on September 8 (Tuesday) with a flat stage from Ile d'Oleron to Ile de Re over 168.5km.