After the first rest day, this is a good time to look at where we’re going in the coming week. Writes Toby Watson.
Cadel Evans and Vin Nibali need to find two minutes on Wiggo just to catch up, and they are staring at another, longer time trial later in the race, so effectively need at least three. Both Cadel and Nibali have Grand Tour wins to their name, so know they can still perform late in the race.
Their only hope is that Wiggo falls in a hole, and the only way that is going to happen is if they take the initiative away from him.
This means attacking on climbs, and descending hard, and hoping that he eventually cracks.
All of the mountain stages are now in play, if not for immediate gains in time on the actual day, then to sap Wiggo’s reserves for later in the race and (hopefully in their view) decrease the damage he is bound to do in the final Time Trial.
There is still plenty to race for, but where we’re going? All of the signs are for Britain’s first ever Tour de France win.