So what's Sky's tactics from here on in then?

Sit in the peleton until the race reaches the mountains then unleash Froomedog?

Great win for Cav (and for me at 4/1 at the bookies) yesterday.

As for the Sky tactics.......I've no idea just how the team will operate this year. If you read into what we've seen so far then it'll be Froome and Porte together against the Spanish/Latin alliance.

Contador is not a spent force and it is entirely possible that he will do Froome some damage in the Pyranees.

Could do, but the way Froome just rode away from him in the Dolphiny suggests that Froome is the sstronger rider at the moment.

So that's Thomas with a fractured hip, Hesjedal with a fractured rib and Vande Velde riding with a blood clot in a neck muscle and a loosened screw in the plate holding his clavicle together.

Nails.

No, screws.
Unless you're on about the punctures Sky suffered yesterday, in which case: tacks.

Meanwhile, Jurgen van den Broeke out with knee knack. 85ml of fluid drawn off it last night, which in my experience means it's buggered. Maxime Bouet out with a bust arm.

60/70kmh cross winds expected late on in today's stage.

Get the ambulances ready.

G leading the peloton. Effin' nutter.

Wind not as bad as feared, say reports from the finish line

Brajkovic pulled out after yesterday's stage, Christian Vande Velde has taken a tumble this morning, aggravated the bolted-back-together collar bone and also abandoned.

Meanwhile, Big Jens has gone on a banzai attack off the front. Seven minutes at the moment. Go on, big feller.

If they were capable of independent thought, Voigt's legs would be looking at each other wondering WTF he thinks he's doing and just how long he thinks they can keep this up for.

To which there would only be one response...

And he's been reeled in by the Cannondale train who are trying - with some success - to drop the pure sprinters. Heck of a pace being set.

Smart move by Bakelants means he's the virtual yellow jersey, surely we'll see OGE joining Cannondale to make the pace even more brutal. Looking highly unlikely now that Cavendish, Greipel & Kittel will get back on the main group. I'm currently felling quite smug at swapping Cav out for Sagan in my fantasy team

They've given it up. Henderson went to the front of the group, looked around and seemed to say "nah"

And Sagan finishes it off. Disappointing celebration. Expected some actual fireworks.

So after Jensie's attack yesterday, here goes the tour's other serial attacker Tommy V.

Two weeks still to go, but is that the Tour over?

Wow, that was awesome racing. A bold (but ultimately flawed) move by Quintana & an awesome show of power from Froome & Porte.

What an effort by Peter Kennaugh though, he buried himself at the front to bring back Quintana and then left Porte & Froome to blow the field away on the final climb.

Worryingly that massive weapon Valverde is still there or thereabouts but Contador looked like he was really struggling with that pace.

Brutal day yesterday. Massively chuffed for Dan Martin and Garmin. If anything, it was more impressive from Froome than Saturday, going it alone for so long. Losing Kiriyenka is a huge blow to Sky, but does Froome even need him now?

That would be a no then.

On Saturday, I'd have said yes. After yesterday, it's more of a "yes, but...."

I'd have to agree with this.

Sky showed that they paid the price for the effort on Saturday with the showing on Sunday. Not having Porte in second place may well benefit Froome.

What I loved was the fact that the peloton gave Sky a bit of a whipping yesterday. Yesterdays stage was far more exciting than the whole of last years race with sub plots all over the road.

Seeing Contador and Valverde talking yesterday was great to see. A Spanish alliance will make this years Tdf an absolute classic.

The main problem for Sky this year is that they've been forced to spread their resources across two fronts (Wiggins' Giro bid & Froome's TdF). The fact that Henao & Uran did the Giro left the squad looking a bit thin by the time this race came around and there was always the risk that if Porte got dropped Froome would be isolated. When you think of the super-domestiques that Wiggins had at his disposal last year (Froome, Rogers, Porte) this race was never going to be as easily controlled this year.

I thought Froome was as impressive on Sunday as he was in taking the jersey the day before and I also think it's highly likely that he'll face this scenario again once or twice when we hit the Alps. Tomorrow's time trial is a big one for Froome because I honestly think he could do with taking a bit more time out of Valverde & Quintana before we're back in the mountains as Movistar have looked very strong so far.

Hmm. Cav might be in trouble after that finish.

Looks like he got away with it.

Anyway, happy pointy hat day everyone.