Three brutal days were scheduled in the Pyrenees for this year’s Tour de France and they were always likely to host some enthralling battles.

And if stage 16 was the appetiser we can look forward to the rest of the week with great excitement as the race was blown apart on the Port de Bales.

Michael Rogers’ took the stage win with a classy ride, while the GC was also given a shake-up as the peloton shattered on the hors categorie ascent.

The end product was a new rider in the white jersey and some big time gaps appearing in the top ten overall.

But where does it leave the race with five stages still to be fought out? Read our five observations over the following pages or add your own in the forum.