Sometimes the hardest stages of the Tour are not in the high mountains. Today’s stage was one of the hardest we’ve seen in a long time, perhaps all year. Normally in a mountain stage you get to the finish the best you can. For GC contenders you have to stay near the front until the last 40k or else you stand the chance of missing out on the time limit. 

Garmin/Chipoltle continues to impress by putting David Millar in the early break that ignited the chase from Team Columbia. It’s great to see two U.S. teams having such a great TdF.

As for the Stage winner Luis Sanchez, what can he say but he rode a masterful race. The chasers put so much effort into the chase that it shredded the peloton to bits which also gave Sanchez the chance to win.

Bobke’s Inside Line: Do you believe in reincarnation? The riders in the race today must’ve once been marauding Huns and their penance is to come back as pedaling poor boys - and I don’t mean sandwiches.

Bobke’s Bonus Inside Line: Robbie Ventura looks like had got all the hair lasered off his body – remember, your hair follicles are the body’s first line of defense – and (with Ventura within earshot) and Robbie must be pining for the days of Eddie Munster…Robbie, Robbie…he refuses to talk to me now!