It hardly came as a surprise that Joaquím Rodriguez (Katusha) lost time at the individual time trial at the Tour de France today. Never a big fan of TTs, the diminutive Spanish climbing specialist was steamrollered by world time trial champion Tony Martin (Omega Pharma-Quick Step), who took the honours of the day and Chris Froome (Sky), who strengthened his hold on the overall lead of the race.

Rodriguez readily accepted the superiority displayed by race leader Chris Froome and said that the option remaining for him was to try his luck in the Alps in the closing week of the race.

"Obviously races against the clock are not suitable to my characteristics, even if I had good feelings today,” Rodriguez acknowledged. “I expected a slower ITT when I made the reconnaissance in April: instead today, thanks also to the tailwind, we all kept a pace faster than expected. I think I was fast too, if we consider I've almost kept a 50 km/h average speed. It's obvious in this moment that Froome is stronger than anyone else: he's great both in the mountains and in races against the clock. But the competition is still very long and hard for everybody, as I've already said before. I hope to be in my best shape during the last week, in order to try something in the Alps."

Rodriguez lost 3’12” to Froome on the 33km parcours of the day and now trails the Briton by 5’48” in the overall standings, almost certainly leaving his Tour ambitions in the ashes.