In a Grand Tour, the management of the riders is crucial. On the eve of the first mountaintop finish, FDJ sports directors Franck Pineau and Thierry Bricaud had opted for a simple plan: three riders were appointed to try to escape, the others to protect Kenny Elissonde and the youngsters to save energy.

"It was clear," said Franck Pineau," that candidates for the escape would be very numerous and a real battle raged. The guys respected the instructions, joined the moves, especially Kevin Reza, but eventually a group of six riders left without us, after 60 kilometers."

The peloton did not leave sufficient room to the leading riders and they were caught in the finale. The puncheurs showed themselves on the final climb.

"Kenny did ​​an average climb but it was still a thing for puncheurs. We can not judge him yet. On Friday, he will finally arrive in his terrain with the finish in La Alpujarra," Pineau said.

"We celebrated the birthday of Olivier Le Gac whom I asked to ride in the gruppetto to save some energy. Ditto for Lorrenzo Manzin. Many times our young Breton came to talk with me in the car and I can say that he was riding easily. He has a plan in mind for one of these days."