As predicted, the majority of the stage belonged to the breakaway, who stretched a lead that got up to as much as 15 minutes with the peloton content to let the win go in favour of setting up an overall contenders battle in the final.
Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates) was aggressive from the start, trying to attack in the first 15 kilometres as break attempts began, but was unsuccessful in the end and dropped back to the peloton to get his team in formation for a likely move on the final climb.
While Australian Michael Matthews (BikeExchange-Jayco) rode into a solo victory from the break, a reduced group from a peloton shredded by the pace of Jumbo-Visma entered the base of the Mende with Jonas Vingegaard (Jumbo-Visma) in teammate Sepp Kuss' wheel and Pogačar close behind.
Then UAE made their move with Brandon McNulty upping the tempo and taking up the pace, Kuss rolling off shortly after and leaving the yellow jersey isolated with Pogačar and Rafal Majka in tow.
The tables were turned after Jumbo-Visma had Pogačar alone and under pressure in stage 11, and the Slovenian's attack was imminent as he looked to cut into or overtake his two minute and 22 second deficit in second place.
When Pogačar did attack, top 10 riders Romain Bardet (Team DSM), Nairo Quintana (Arkea-Samsic), David Gaudu (Groupama-FDJ) and Aleksandr Vlasov (BORA-Hansgrohe) were already dropped and INEOS Grenadiers duo Geraint Thomas and Adam Yates were put under immediate strain.
But Vingegaard was not, the only rider he hoped to distance matching him in every pedal stroke as the two again went up the road with wheels glued together.
Their pace demolished Thomas and Yates who faded further into the distance, riding into the finish with no gaps achieved by Pogačar as Vingegaard matched him again in the sprint to the line.
Both riders are men of few words who don't give too much away, with Pogačar only vowing to remain aggressive at every opportunity and Vingegaard just happy to get through another day in yellow with no time losses.
"I tried, the climb could be longer," Pogačar joked on his move in the final.
"But it's good news, the legs are there and the heat is no problem, so I will keep trying from now on, maybe tomorrow I will try."
"He put in a very good pace so obviously it was hard, both for himself I hope and for me," Vingegaard said.
"But I could follow him and I'm happy about it."
It was clear from very early on in the race that Vingegaard was the biggest threat to Pogačar and it's evident now they are the only threats to each other, head and shoulders above the rest of the riders in this race.
It took a herculean effort from Vingegaard and his team to crack the Slovenian and take yellow from him and the Dane has done a stellar job of holding on to it so far, passing his first real test with relative ease today.
There are still the Pyrenees to come, where it will be make or break for Vingegaard's campaign to win his first Tour de France and Pogačar's quest to snatch it back and win what would be his third and most impressive title.
The Tour de France continues with Stage 15, a stage for the sprinters as the race travels 202km from Rodez to the historic city of Carcassonne. Watch on the SBS SKODA Tour Tracker from 8.55 pm AEST with the SBS and SBS On Demand broadcast starting from 9.30pm AEST.
