Froome still leads overall by 16 seconds on second-place Yates, while Martin has moved up from fourth overall to third at 19 seconds, Quintana from sixth to fourth at 23 seconds and Frenchman Romain Bardet (Ag2r-La Mondiale) from ninth to sixth at 44 seconds after a day that saw him finish 17th at 6:56 but benefit from time losses by several higher-placed riders.
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Only Colombian climber Nairo Quintana, Australian former team-mate of Froome’s, Richie Porte, and Ireland’s Dan Martin managed to stay with the race leader in the final few kilometres of the stage, after Froome accelerated.
With so much Tour left to race, including an even harder day in the Pyrenees the following stage, why did Sky want to take the yellow jersey?
“The other teams have to go out there, they have to gain back time they’ve lost already but we’ve shown we do have the strongest team here”.
“Tactically, but also for morale and for the team”. So I think it can only get better from here. Movistar’s Nairo Quintana was drinking from his bottle and the rest of the group looked as if it were simply content to let a sprint determine the day’s victor.
“If you look how far British cycling has come, it’s not just by chance, ‘ Chris Froome said. A few days ago, had you asked me if I was going to win the queen stage, I would have said you’re insane”.
Leading the Tour overall after a stunning downhill attack in the Pyrenees on Saturday, if Froome captures the Tour in two weeks’ time, the Kenya-born Briton will be the first back-to-back victor since Miguel Indurain in 1995.
Thursday’s stage to Mont Ventoux is likely the next key one for Martin, the site of a famous Froome victory in 2013 en route to winning his first Tour.
Further back the peloton maintained a watching brief for much of the day, before Froome injected some pace into proceedings on the final climb – dragging Movistar’s Nairo Quintana with him.
Brailsford said he’s been surprised that other teams, not just Quintana’s Movistar, have simply let Sky control the race, rather than trying to put them into difficulty. “It’s done”, said Team Sky sports director Nicolas Portal. It’s not a hard task.
First off – just when you thought Chris Froome couldn’t look any geekier riding a bike, there he was sitting on the top tube pedaling to a stage victory and the yellow jersey.
“He seems to be going well but right now he’s not showing any more than anyone else”, Froome added.
But I know I am not alone in saying that I’m glad the rest day has arrived. We controlled the race even when one of the big teams (BMC) was in the (yellow) jersey.
During a weekend of great British sporting success, Chris Froome, Mark Cavendish and Adam Yates played their part at cycling’s premier event.
“It’s going to be a tight race”. “Big riders have won there and I like to win, but Froome is strong”, Quintana said.
His lack of experience might play against the 23-year-old as a gruelling third week of racing, which often favours seasoned riders, is looming, but Yates is not be anxious.
In 2013, Froome won the race’s first summit finish to Ax-3-Domaines, more than a minute ahead of his closest rival.
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However, Yates, whose twin brother Simon also rides with Orica-Bike Exchange but is not on the Tour this year, would easily trade a decent overall finish in Paris against a stage win.
