Greig Leach

Team Sky and Chris Froome seemed to have done no wrong throughout the entire 102nd Tour de France. Today, however, it seemed to start to fray around the edges for the British team. First, the early attacks were too much for Froome's two loyal lieutenants, Richie Porte and Geraint Thomas. Second, just as his rivals were preparing to launch yet another attack, Froome suddenly pulled up, stopping at the edge of the road. Apparently, he had gotten a stone wedge between his wheel and a brake caliber, slowing him dramatically. Just as Froome stopped, Vincenzo Nibali (Astana) launched the attack that his teammates had been setting up for the last five kilometers. There is much debate about whether he should have attack when the Maillot Jaune had a mechanical or not. There is an unwritten rule that you don't attack the race leader when they have had a problem through no fault of their own. This is a rule that seems to be fading in the most recent Grand Tours. But I will leave that debate to others in other venues.