Greig Leach

The teams of Movistar and Sky kept trading off the pace making on the front of the ever dwindling peloton. As the boys on the British Team Sky pushed the pace on the Col de Val Louron Azet, Mikel Nieve looked over at the unzipped jacket and sweat dripping face of Geraint Thomas asking if he was still okay. Riding just behind the near metronomic Team Sky was the Irishman, Dan Martin (Etixx-Quickstep). So many of the top contenders for the overall victory in Paris on the same time added to the fact that the Yellow Jersey was already seven minutes behind the peloton meant that a stage win would yet again give the winner the race lead to boot.