So what's Sky's tactics from here on in then?

Sit in the peleton until the race reaches the mountains then unleash Froomedog?

Great win for Cav (and for me at 4/1 at the bookies) yesterday.

As for the Sky tactics.......I've no idea just how the team will operate this year. If you read into what we've seen so far then it'll be Froome and Porte together against the Spanish/Latin alliance.

Contador is not a spent force and it is entirely possible that he will do Froome some damage in the Pyranees.

Could do, but the way Froome just rode away from him in the Dolphiny suggests that Froome is the sstronger rider at the moment.

So that's Thomas with a fractured hip, Hesjedal with a fractured rib and Vande Velde riding with a blood clot in a neck muscle and a loosened screw in the plate holding his clavicle together.

Nails.

No, screws.
Unless you're on about the punctures Sky suffered yesterday, in which case: tacks.

Meanwhile, Jurgen van den Broeke out with knee knack. 85ml of fluid drawn off it last night, which in my experience means it's buggered. Maxime Bouet out with a bust arm.

60/70kmh cross winds expected late on in today's stage.

Get the ambulances ready.

G leading the peloton. Effin' nutter.

Wind not as bad as feared, say reports from the finish line

Brajkovic pulled out after yesterday's stage, Christian Vande Velde has taken a tumble this morning, aggravated the bolted-back-together collar bone and also abandoned.

Meanwhile, Big Jens has gone on a banzai attack off the front. Seven minutes at the moment. Go on, big feller.

If they were capable of independent thought, Voigt's legs would be looking at each other wondering WTF he thinks he's doing and just how long he thinks they can keep this up for.

To which there would only be one response...

And he's been reeled in by the Cannondale train who are trying - with some success - to drop the pure sprinters. Heck of a pace being set.

Smart move by Bakelants means he's the virtual yellow jersey, surely we'll see OGE joining Cannondale to make the pace even more brutal. Looking highly unlikely now that Cavendish, Greipel & Kittel will get back on the main group. I'm currently felling quite smug at swapping Cav out for Sagan in my fantasy team

They've given it up. Henderson went to the front of the group, looked around and seemed to say "nah"

And Sagan finishes it off. Disappointing celebration. Expected some actual fireworks.