The Dauphine is so often billed as the form finder for the Tour de France, and it’s fair to say Chris Froome has certainly found his form.

A below-par performance by Team Sky in the team time trial, and the loss of a handful of seconds to van Garderen on stage five, the first mountain stage, gave Froome plenty of work to do if he wanted the yellow jersey.

But the 2013 Tour de France champion stormed back in perfect style – his stage wins and the yellow jersey crowning an excellent week for both himself and Team Sky.

Only once did any cracks begin to show, when Vincenzo Nibali ignited stage six, with Sky missing the first break and then being unable to claw back the Italian’s advantage when he went clear a second time.

That attack was sandwiched by stages on which the British team set a fierce pace on the climbs, which Nibali had found too hot to handle.

The Tour de France selection meeting at Team Sky will be an interesting one ahead of the Grand Depart on July 4, with a number of candidates having proved their worth.

Wout Poels’ efforts to set up Froome’s race-winning attacks will have done him plenty of favours, while Peter Kennaugh’s stage win and stint in the yellow jersey earlier in the week served as a reminder of the British champion’s talents.

Regardless of who rides alongside Froome, their team leader will be a man returning to top form. This Dauphine win came without the need for an individual time trial, and achieved with unstoppable attacks in the mountains – exactly the formula needed for this year’s Tour.