Even as the Tour de France leaves the Alps, the battle for the mountains prize is still very much alive, with new leader Richard Calapaz (Ineos Grenadiers) holding a mere two-point lead over Tadej Pogachar (UAE Team Emirates).

Kalapas took the mountains jersey from Pogachar on stage 18. Pogachar had won the 24-hour mountains prize after finishing third on stage 17.

Marc Hirschke (Sunweb), one of the most dangerous opponents in the ranking, scored the highest points on the first three climbs of the stage, but then crashed, clearing the way for Karapas to take the highest points on the final two climbs of the day and move into the polka dot jersey.

However, Pogachar was able to remain in contention for the polka-dot jersey by finishing sixth behind the stage leader on the Plateau de Glières. On Friday and Sunday, only one point will be awarded for each of the four classifications, but points will be added for Saturday's time trial and the first classification of La Planche des Belle Filles. In other words, in the Tour's only race against the clock, the mountains leader could once again be replaced by Pogachar.

"We have the jersey for now and we have to figure out the best strategy to keep it until Paris," Karapas told French television after the stage.

Kalapas' decision to give the stage to Michal Kwiatkowski was largely dependent on him putting a stake in the KoM jersey, as he had already missed the breakaway on both Tuesday and Wednesday.

He finished second behind Renard Kamuna (Bora-Hansgrohe) in Villars-de-Lans and was caught last in Wednesday's stage to the Col de la Rose, just 3km from the line, after a day-long breakaway.

"It was a brilliant victory today. I wanted to win the stage and the jersey, and I got both. And I decided that Michal should win," Karapas said. I was very happy with the result," said Calapaz. It remains to be seen, however, if Karapas will be able to hold onto his lead in the mountains until Sunday.