Greig Leach

The four man break had been off the front for at least 150 kilometers by now. As the group of Alex Howes (Cannondale-Drapac), Cesare Benedetti (Bora-Argon 18), Martin Elmiger (IAM Cycling) and Jeremy Roy (FDJ) swung around a round-about on the way into Villars les Dombes Parc des Oiseauz, Howes seemed to ask his compatriots, "You know they're here, right?" The peloton and the break had been playing a little game of cat and mouse for the last twenty odd kilometes. When the peloton sped up so did the break and when one slowed down, so did the other. In fact, this went on for a bit longer although it was Howes who threw in the towel first and rejoined the peloton. On a sprint stage, the peloton does not want to catch the break too far out from the finish line. If they do, it makes it harder to control the other teams and almost guarantees that others will attack the bunch.