Organisers ASO have taken the unusual decision to place a team time trial in the middle of the race.

The final stage before the rest day could be pivotal, with an uphill finish  – 1.7km at 6.2 per cent gradient no less – certainly an intriguing one.

Bearing in mind the crash-laden opening stages of the last few Tours, it is one where injuries and abandonments from earlier in the week could prove pivotal too.

Joaquim Rodriguez’s Katusha team were well off the pace in the Giro d’Italia team time trial despite having nine riders at their disposal – imagine what the loss of a key rider could do.

On the other hand, world team time trial champions BMC Racing and their predecessors, the soon to be renamed Etixx-Quickstep, will be relishing this stage.

If world road race champion Michal Kwiatkowski is still in contention after the earlier stages – highly likely, given his all-round pedigree – this could be a day for him to snatch yellow.