Following its incredible opening week, the Crédit Agricole team came down from its high once the race hit the Alps. G.C. hopeful Bobby Julich struggled on the stage to Alpe d’Huez and the time trial to Chamrousse. Then, after two solid rides in the Alpes, Jonathan Vaughters had problems of his own in the Pyrénées.

Following Friday’s stage to Ax-Les-Thermes, Julich said that the first week had definitely taken it’s toll. "I did use a lot of energy the first week, as did the rest of the team," he said, "but you know, we won the team time trial, we had seven days in yellow, which was amazing for our team. As far as my personal ambitions go, yeah, they have to change."

For Julich, it’s impossible to say whether he would have had the legs in the mountains or not. "I had to sacrifice so much [in the first week], I’ll never know. Obviously I didn’t have the build up that a lot of these guys had for the Tour. You know, I went to altitude [training in Reno, Nevada in May], and when I came back, I was tired. That’s not normal."

"I’ll never know, but you know what, I’ll have no regrets. Seven days in yellow and the team time trial win, and hopefully the green jersey for Stuart [O’Grady] … that’ll do."