A cobbled stage like no other in Tour history awaited on stage five, with wet roads and treacherous conditions combining with the pavé to create one of the most memorable stages in Tour history.

The drama actually started before the race even reached the seven secteurs of cobbles, Froome – nursing injuries in his wrist and hand – fell twice on the slick tarmac, the second fall seeing him limp into the team car and bid a sad farewell to his title defence.

Up ahead, an elite group quickly formed as the chief GC men, Nibali and Contador included, combined with Classics hard men such as Fabian Cancellara (Trek Factory Racing), Sagan and Sep Vanmarcke (Belkin Pro Cycling).

Nibali, with team-mate Jakob Fuglsang at his side, was expected to struggle on the pavé having never previously raced on the cobbles but he again shut his doubters up with a superb display of bike handling.

As the lead group thinned, Nibali – whose only minor scare on the whole stage came when team-mate Maxim Ingliskiy fell in front of him on the tarmac – remained at the fore.

First the likes of Contador were dropped, and then even Sagan and Cancellara were left trailing in his wake as he rode with ease at the front of the group.

Ultimately Lars Boom (Belkin) left Nibali and Fuglsang trailing behind him, but the fact only a former world cyclo-cross champion beat him on the treacherous course said much for Nibali’s skills as a rider.

And his reward for second place on the stage was a big advantage over his main GC rivals before the race had even reached its first mountain range.