Gadret and Dupont then showed climbing prowess in the first of three consecutive high mountain stages that preceded the second rest day. While Contador and José Rujano were easily the strongest riders on the day, the Ag2r tandem broke away from the peloton behind and secured third and fourth positions on the day. Gadret was third, which afforded him a time bonus in addition to the actual time taken. This moved him into the top ten for the first time in the race, in eighth. Dupont also entered the top ten after this stage, at tenth place. With sixth place the next day on Monte Zoncolan and attrition to other riders, Gadret moved up further, to fifth place. Dupont finished eighth on this stage to move up to eighth overall. Gadret gained further time against the vast majority of the field in the Giro's queen stage, stage 15, by finishing fifth and moving up to fourth place in the overall standings. Dupont struggled, coming in 22nd on the day, to fall to 15th overall. Gadret finished the race in fourth place, holding it after each of the remaining stages. Dupont took back a little time against some of the other riders in the field in stages 17 and 20, to improve his final position to 12th. Gadret's fourth place was the team's best overall placement in a Grand Tour in their history, bettering the sixth place attained by Cyril Dessel in the 2006 Tour de France.