Over the col du Granier, Bradley Wiggins chased down Christophe Kern and Jérôme Coppel in a move that some considered a gesture to remind people of his strength but the leader of the Tour insists that he was «just helping the team». Here's his take on the race to Annonay.

“It was a tough stage. The whole world just sees the last 100 kilometres but the first 100 was probably as hard as any Tour de France stage so far. It was a tough one today and even in the finish there, you couldn't relax for one minute because it was a tricky finish.
“For Dave to win after the season that he's had – breaking a collarbone early in the year and having to be on the comeback trail ever since – is impressive. To win on the anniversary of Tom [Simpson's death] is fantastic. I think he was beginning to feel a little left out this week so it's great for the team… our Olympic team. In a couple of weeks' time it's all going to happen. We've all won stages in the Tour so it's brilliant.
“This is the Tour de France and everybody wants to make a story but there is no story [about a rivalry with Chris Froome].
“When I chased down the move over the second climb, I did so just to eliminate that break because we didn't want [Jérôme] Coppel to go away because he was only at 12 minutes on GC so it neutralised that breakaway at the summit. I was helping the team.
“There's never an easy day in the Tour. And that's the case again today.