The 160 remaining riders had to contend with rain soon after the start in Nantua and intermittently along the route.<\/p>\n
Groves was then part of a 13-man breakaway that was formed after the second of the day’s four categorised climbs.<\/p>\n
His compatriot Harry Sweeny attacked over the day’s penultimate climb and went clear of Jordan Jegat with 54km to go, but the EF Education-EasyPost rider was caught on the first slopes of the final ascent.<\/p>\n
Local favourite Romain Gregoire and Spanish debutant Ivan Romeo attacked on the downhill but as they sped into a wet turn, both slipped to the tarmac, with 21-year-old Romeo coming off worse as he also slid into the kerb.<\/p>\n
Groves was right behind them so watched it all unfold and sensed his opportunity, attacking with 16km remaining.<\/p>\n
Frank van den Broek and British rider Jake Stewart merely looked at each other, with that momentary stalemate allowing Groves to go clear.<\/p>\n
He gradually increased his lead to the line, where he was sobbing after clinching an emotional victory.<\/p>\n
“The team gave me a free role in the last few days,” Groves added. “We weren’t sure if I should go for it today or wait until tomorrow. But when the rain falls, I always have a super feeling normally, in the cold weather. It’s my first time winning solo – and it’s in a Tour stage, [so] pretty incredible.<\/p>\n
“There’s so much pressure at the Tour. Having won in the Vuelta and the Giro, I always get asked whether I’m good enough to win in the Tour – and now I’ve shown them.<\/p>\n
“I tried to play my cards right and get into an early move. But the uphill start made that incredibly difficult. When I made the decision, I knew that [Matteo] Jorgenson and [Tim] Wellens would watch each other, so I tried to distance myself form them.<\/p>\n
“Then after the crash, Van den Broek goes full, so I closed that. Then him and Jake Stewart watched each other and I had a gap with 16km to go, so I rode full until the final 200m.”<\/p>\n