As anybody who has been out on the bike this winter, or any winter for that matter, will attest to, the biting cold can make for a pretty miserable ride. You can wrap up as much as you want, but once the cold starts biting at your muscles every kilometre, every slight incline, can feel like a punishment. It would have been refreshing therefore, to be reminded the WorldTour’s elite do not always get to enjoy the luxurious warmth of places like Australia, Dubai, Qatar and the South of France.

With snow clouds forming and the wind-chill high, Kevin Reza (Team Europcar) was the first to suffer, hammering his legs in the break to get the blood flowing. His team-mate, Thomas Voeckler, was caught on camera swinging his arms around in a bid to get warm while Alberto Contador shared a joke about the conditions with the camera.

So, what is the best way to cope with the cold? Stage winner Joaquim Rodriguez spent the early parts of the day covered with a huge buff, thermal cap and as much warm weather clothing as he could muster. And it certainly helped him store the reserves for his phenomenal ascent at the end. Purito’s rivals – take note!