The third Pyrenean stage of this year’s Tour de France failed to ignite in quite the way it had been anticipated, as Joaquim Rodriguez (Katusha) won from the breakaway.

Impressive though his race-winning attack on the Plateau de Beille was, however, with Rodriguez out of contention overall the battle for the yellow jersey was a much more stagnated affair.

Only in the final few kilometres was Chris Froome’s lead ever threatened, and he, Richie Porte and then Geraint Thomas shut down every attack.

It means Froome boasts a 2’52” lead after the first three big mountain stages of this year’s race, and will be hopeful of maintaining that until the peloton reaches the Alps.

But on a rain-soaked day in the Pyrenees, there was still plenty of food for thought.

Read our post-stage observations over the following pages.