For two and a half weeks French cravings of a Tour de France stage win had been consistently dashed and when they were finally fulfilled, it was the veteran Christophe Riblon (Ag2r-La Mondiale) who broke the home nation's duck with a determined win atop L’Alpe d'Huez.

Three years ago Riblon won another summit finish at Ax 3 Domaines in the Pyrenees and that victory, incidentally, was the last time the 32-year-old Frenchman had won a race.

Riblon chose a majestic scene on which to end the French drought as the peloton had to negotiate the famed climb twice. However, Riblon did have to overcome a very tricky descent from Sarenne in his approach to the final ascent. Shortly after van Garderen's (BMC Racing Team) chain problems on the same descent, the Frenchman overshot a sharp left-hand bend but managed to stay upright and steer clear of harm’s way.

As Riblon struggled to bridge across to van Garderen with five km still to go the second time around, his directeur sportif Julien Jurdie pulled up alongside him in the team car with some appropriate phrases of support.

“From five kilometres from the finish line I thought it would be difficult to win and I was focused on the 2nd place. My sports director, Julien Jurdie, moved towards me and told me that I had to continue to believe in victory, that van Garderen was not in his best shape. He was right! At three kilometres to go, I saw Tejay had the behaviour of someone who is in trouble. I told myself that this was my chance and that I must try to catch him. When I caught him, I didn’t have any doubts [as to my plan of action]. I didn’t want him to have any hope to that he would be able to follow me. I definitely wanted to leave him behind and it went incredibly well,” Riblon explained after crossing the finish line according to the official team website.”

Before Friday’s mountain stage Riblon is 35th overall, 59’09” behind race leader Chris Froome (Sky).