Going into the final climb in today's stage of the Tour de Suisse, FDJ dominated proceedings as Jeremy Roy and Anthony Roux strung things out with four of their teammates on their wheels. It all had one simple purpose: to make sure that Thibaut Pinot was well-placed for the ascent where he risked losing time in the technical finale.

When the third stage of the Tour de Suisse reached its climax, it was the blue colours of FDJ that dominated the racing. Despite not having a potential winner of the stage, the French team placed six riders on the front and brought back Tosh van der Sande, the lone survivor of the break that had been up the road in the second half of the stage.

People may have wondered what was going on but sports director Yvon Madiot had made a pre-race plan. The technical, uphill finish could create splits and if GC leader Thibaut Pinot was not in a good position, he risked losing a few seconds.

In fact, a split happened but Pinot finished in 9th and was one of just 10 riders not to lose time to stage winner Peter Sagan.

"This stage was very hilly and we had studied it thorougly with Julien Pinot," Madiot said. "You could see that it was narrow and winding in the finale before we hit the final climb. This morning I told our guys that they should do their thing, breakaway or not. 

"We accelerated and allowed Thibaut to reach the climb in a good position. In this section the whole team was gathered on the front, except Geoffrey Soupe and Laurent Mangel who had worked the entire stage to be close to Thibaut. And they rode really fast.

"Anthony Roux took a huge turn. Riders got dropped one by one. Bradley Wiggins who was here for the GC, got dropped with 3km to go. Thibaut didn't do anything before the final climb and I know that my riders who were in 5th and 6th position found it hard so imagine how it has been for the others who were further behindly.

"In the final kilometre, Thibaut started on Slagter's wheel but he was dropped and opened a gap. At the finish, Thibaut was happy but he told me that it was hard to avoid splits but for him and his teammates, it was mission accomplished. Our leader finished in the same time as Sagan. Only the first 11 managed to do so.

"Jeremy [Roy]is very important in his role as road captain. He started the operation todau. I told them at it is good to paractice how to work on the front, regardless of what's happening. And it is easy because there is a good atmosphere around Thibaut.  Everyone recognizes his leadership role, the guys trust him and know he will make the race. The most difficult was to create this group around him but now the framework is there and it is easy for others to integrate in the racing."

"It is true that things are going well but nothing is done yet," Julien Pinot added. "We have to keep this position until the final three stages."