As the dust settles in Paris and the last groggy Dutchmen are descending from their corner of Alpe d’Huez, as Mark Cavendish enjoys his one piece of cake for the year and Adam Hansen begins thinking about competing in his 13th consecutive Grand Tour in Spain next month, it’s fair to say we can look back on the last three weeks and be thankful.

Whether you’re a diehard fan or discovering the race for the first time, there’s been something to capture the minds of the fans on virtually every stage this year, from the high-profile withdrawals of two yellow jersey-wearers in the first week, to Nairo Quintana’s last-ditch attack in an attempt to win the race on the Alpe.

In the days since the Tour de France left Utrecht we’ve enjoyed an absolute humdinger of a race, with thrills, spills, controversies and victories. Oh, and suffering. Lots of suffering. Here are five reason why we think this year’s Tour has been one of the most exciting and memorable in recent years.