It is a testament to the race organisers, ASO, that the green jersey has changed hands twice in the Pyrenees, with the sprinters still very much a part of the day’s proceedings.

While, understandably, the battle for the stage wins and the yellow jersey are stealing the headlines, the points classification has become a very interesting sideshow.

Peter Sagan (Tinkoff-Saxo) is back in the lead, with a seven-point advantage over Andre Greipel (Lotto-Soudal) but the change in how points are awarded, with the winners of sprint stages more richly rewarded, has clearly paid off.

Twelve months ago Sagan was running away with a third jersey, and it may be if he can pick up some points on the undulating finishes to come he will do so again.

But for now, Greipel is still very much in contention and a stage win for either John Degenkolb (Giant-Alpecin) or Mark Cavendish (Etixx-QuickStep) on stage 13 could put them back in with a shout too.

It means the intermediate sprints have been worth keeping an eye on too, with the stages not just all about the finale – which is what they are there for in the first place.

Tomorrow’s arrives after just 20km, with a slight downhill kicking the stage off, so it could well be another lucrative intermediate sprint if the sprint teams can keep the bunch together early on.

Ultimately, the battle for the yellow jersey and the polka dot King of the Mountains jersey will soon take precedent with the Col de la Core, Port de Lers and HC summit finish on Plateau de Beille to come.

But the new points classification system has been a success, and what is shaping up to be an intriguing battle should not be overlooked.