This may be a case where a couple of curves tricks can come in handy
Firstly, you can apply an S shaped curve (pull down in the lower left and up in the upper right) to add some contrast to an image
Secondly, you can localise this contrast change (i.e., to stop blowing out highlights) by placing two curve adjustments side by side, e.g., towards the very upper right. with both the input and output values the same.
This double point acts as a lock that other adjustments don't impact from one side to the other.
Combining these two approaches, you can to more localised contrast adjustments, to stretch the mid-tones to give the contrast that you want there, while locking down the highlights in the sky, so that you maintain some texture there.
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