Chris Froome (Team Sky) was praised on stage one for sprinting into sixth place, such was his focus on the yellow jersey.

Of course, it did not work out for the defending champion or for fellow pre-race favourite Alberto Contador (Tinkoff-Saxo) – both of whom have now crashed out.

But if Vincenzo Nibali (Astana) is expecting to take the yellow jersey in their absence – completing the ‘holy trinity’ of Grand Tour wins in the process – his body language on stage 11 certainly did not show it.

The Shark may be huge favourite to keep his yellow jersey through to Paris now, but he remained attentive throughout the stage – never far from the front of the bunch and always the right side of any splits which formed.

With world champion Rui Costa (Lampre-Merida) among the riders to lose time on the stage, it proved there will be no easy days for the GC men.

But if Nibali remains as attentive as he was, and keeps up his stunning form, it is hard to see past him becoming just the sixth man to win the Tour, Vuelta a Espana and Giro d’Italia in their career.