Greig Leach

The final ascent of the day was reeking havoc on many of the riders, some with a bit of a pedigree in the mountains. All of the sprinters had already formed the l'autobus and were trailing even this duo by roughly a half hour. Both Pierre Rolland (Cannondale Drapac) and Tsgabu Grmay (Bahrain Merida) were finding the multiple climbs and the pace of the peloton to be too much. As they neared the tunnel, the light just seemed to go out of their eyes as they labored up the mountain. It can be very encouraging when even the Mavic neutral service vehicle leaves you to fend for yourself.