Cavendish aims for his 4th victory in this year’s Tour

“People say I didn’t attack him yesterday, which is just rubbish”, said an irritated Porte during Monday’s first Tour rest day in Andorra.

On Thursday, Bastille Day, the Tour will head up the feared Mont Ventoux – scene of a big victory for Froome in 2013. “It’s given me a lot more energy just for life in general”. Mont Ventoux is famed for its exposed summit, but the new finish will see the race end in the relative shelter of the forest. “The safety of the riders is paramount”.

“I think he’s raced well this year”.

“Apparently there are really just gale force winds and it just wouldn’t be safe for the riders so thank you to the organisers for making the decision. It’s the right thing to do”.

“It was something insane that happened”, said Sagan afterwards.

Tour director Christian Prudhomme said: “The forecast says there will be gusts of wind of over 100kph (60mph)”.

Froome, along with his lieutenant Geraint Thomas, jumped into the wheel of Sagan when the Slovak broke away from the bunch 12km from the finish with his Tinkoff teammate Maciej Bodnar of Poland. But the wind made it into a more tactical finish.

“They already have shown themselves as contenders”, Froome said of Yates and Martin. “I want to take every opportunity I can and to find myself in yellow by doing that is just an incredible experience”.

“It is [special]”, Sagan said after the sixth Tour stage win of his career and second this year.

Since then the 35-year-old former Olympic medallist has taken prestigious breakaway wins in the Tour of the Basque Country in Spain and the Critérium du Dauphine in France.

“Se we pulled hard and it happened”.

Froome holds a 16-second lead over fellow British rider Adam Yates, and is 19 seconds ahead of Dan Martin of Ireland.

“There’s no reason they shouldn’t be up there, but three weeks is a long time”. “He’s going to put at least four minutes into me”.

In 2013, Froome hammered his rivals to win on Ventoux ahead of Colombian Nairo Quintana, with both riders requiring oxygen support at the top.

“It really is a good place to be at the moment, I m really happy to have the yellow jersey on my shoulders”, said Froome. “Froomey and Geraint came with us when we attacked and I told them we were too strong”.

Sagan also won the intermediate sprint to take back the green points jersey from Mark Cavendish, a victor of three of the first six stages. Instead of forcing Froome’s main competitors to chase, Henao’s attack on the road to Arcalis incited a series of counter attacks, forcing Froome himself to chase.

“If you come fifth in a grand tour it’s nice but you don’t get to raise your arms in the air, you don’t celebrate”, he said. “Green jersey with yellow jersey in the front group?”

“Of course my next objective is Ventoux and the time trial the next day”.

A hugely gifted breakaway specialist, Cummings’ lone victory at Lac de Payolle on Friday came after he rode solo up the first major mountain climb of the Tour, fending off rivals as tough as Vincenzo Nibali, one of the most formidable stage racers in the modern peloton.

“There could be a split (in the peloton) even before the climb”.

“I m confident the guys will be able to ride in that defensive way to help me”. We will have to wait and see.