Greig Leach

After Astana had played its cards on both the Col de la Forclaz and the earlier slopes of the climb up Finhaut-Emosson to no avail, it was Dan Martin (Etixx-Quickstep) who was the next to attack the Sky train. As the Irishman looked over his shoulder to check the gab, he could see Tony Gallopin (Lotto Soudal) sliding back down through the back. Team Sky has learned not to react to these attacks particularly if the rider is as far down the GC as Martin. The man on the front for Sky will just push a little harder on the down stroke and slowly reel the escapee back in. As they reel on in another will lose contact with the back of the group, and on and on it goes. Dan Martin may not have actually been attacking the Maillot Jaune, but rather going on the offensive to move himself up from his tenth place overall. With others already off the back, any timed gained could move him closer to the podium in Paris. Closer.