Greig Leach

Team Movistar threw caution to the wind and went hard on the first climb of the day. They first sent their man sitting in third overall, Alejandro Valverde up the road on the Col de la Croix de Fer. Once it was obvious that Team Sky was going to let the Spaniard go, it was Nairo Quintana's turned to join his teammate on the attack. The Colombian in the Maillot Blanc of the best young rider in the Tour, quickly put time into the race lead of Chris Froome (Team Sky), Additionally, Froome's teammates weren't able to go with the attack, isolating the man in the Maillot Jaune. It was still a long way to go over this mountain, then across the valley and up to the top of the Alp d'Huez and the end of the mountains of the 102nd Tour de France.