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.

Very true. I'd asked the question before the start of the race about who would be Froomes Froome this year? With Henao and Uran in the team things would look different in the hills. Uran is off to OPQS next year so there is no way Sky would have raced him in this only for his points to go elsewhere.

Also agree that Froome put in a good performance on Sunday but I do believe Movistar and Saxo could have duffed him up a bit more between them.

Cav is in danger of his Tdf being a failure this year. His lead out train is all over the place and he is not in good form. Steegmans was in a good position yesterday and Cav should have been on his wheel. Why he chose Veelers wheel in that last corner is beyond me.

Today will be a win for Das Panzerwagon. We're all expecting Froome to put time into his rivals but.......Contador could surprise us all.

I thought Steegmans went too early, which was what Cav then said afterwards. Just as it looked like they'd got their train in order, it's all fallen to bits again now.

Yesterday wasn't the first crash at this Tour caused, at least in part, by parts of a lead-out train dropping back through the pack. There has to be some more responsibility on riders pulling up in those situations to make sure they do it safely.

Agree, got in the house with about 40km left in the stage on Sunday & knowing that Froome was isolated I was expecting Movistar to be on an attack frenzy. I'm not sure how much Contador had in the legs which probably explained why Saxo were so quiet.

I'm sure that if they manage to get the same scenario in the Alps they'll take advantage & pepper him with attacks.

I can only imagine how Nibali must have felt watching that stage on Sunday, it was the scenario he'd hoped for throughout last year's race that the yellow jersey would be left alone by his team and it never once looked likely to happen. Yet here we were a year later and in just the 2nd day in the mountains it was happening.

Wow. Excellent ride from Froome. Thought he had Martin for a minute, but no. 12 seconds short of him, but no-one else anywhere near. Two minutes over his nearest rival in 33km is ridiculous.

The stage Cav won was when he was on Steegmans wheel with Steegmans first round the last corner. Had Cav been on his wheel I think Cav would have won.

Peeling off lead out men is nothing new but I would have to agree about them showing more responsibility. To my eye I think Veelers deliberately moved back towards Cav after looking where he was.

Cav beaten by Kittel in a straight fight.

EBH withdraws. Sky are going to miss him, he's a workhorse in the low hills.

Are the new generation laying down the marker to Cav this year that flat straight sprints are no longer his domain? Or have the mountains just taken too much out of his legs?

I think it says a lot that OPQS have hired Mark Renshaw for next season. Wouldn't surprise me if they tried to get Bernie Eisel in as well and go full Blues Brothers in trying to get the old band back together.

Some might say that the Giro took a lot out of him and that it would appear he peaked for that instead of the Tdf.

Some might say that his lead out train is useless. OPQS are a classics squad. A team of riders who break things apart (polar opposite to Sky and the HTC train) and a lead out train needs a team of riders who are experts at keeping races together. Yesterday was described as a day where he had been delivered to the line perfectly but thats not what I saw. I saw a great final lead out by Steegmans but he was blown too soon and Cav then had to go a bit too early.

Having said that.....Cav is not as fast as he has been and something us most definitely up. Or.....perhaps Kittel is the next big thing and Cav is a spent force.

It would not surprise me to see Cav climb off his bike soon.