The Italian Astana rider finished the 145.5-kilometre ride from Pau to Hautacam ahead of France's Thibaut Pinot and Rafał Majka - who will win the King of the Mountains jersey - of Poland to claim his fourth stage victory of this year's race after winning in Sheffield, the Vosges and the Alps.

On the final climb of the leg, the last mountain stage of the Tour de France, Nibali broke away and rode solo in front for the final 8km.

He is now set to become the first Italian to win the Tour since the late Marco Pantani in 1998 as he stands 7min 10sec clear of Pinot, who moved up to second in the overall standings, and 7:23 ahead of France's Jean-Christophe Péraud.

"I didn't want to lose command," Nibali said.

"My goal was to win here.

"It was important to me to win another stage in the Pyrenees.

"The team worked really hard and this victory is for them."

Vincenzo Nibali is currently the Tour de France overall leader by seven minutes and 10 seconds ©Getty Images


There are three stages left of this year's Tour de France, including tomorrow's in Southwestern France, which is mostly flat and will likely end in a sprint finish.

Saturday's (July 26) 54km individual time trial is then likely to have a significant impact on who takes which podium place.

"The time trial will be decisive," Pinot admitted.

"It's nice to be second on Thursday or Friday evening, but what counts really is Sunday evening.

"I don't want to waste what's been done since the start.

"I don't want to finish off the podium.

"But between second and fourth, there are only fifteen seconds.

"And I'm the less good time trialist of the three of us.

"I'll have to have a big day.

"I've recently improved in time trialing so."

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