After Tuesday's rest day, everyone is ready to tackle the second half of the Tour de France, which should be sunny at last.

At the Tinkoff-Saxo bus, the atmosphere is special after the withdrawal of Alberto Contador, who retired after his tibia fracture in the La Planche des Belles Filles stage.

"Alberto is OK. He returned to hospital in Madrid yesterday and they confirmed the shinbone fracture. The good news is that there is no lesion to the ligaments and surgery will not be required," said team director Philippe Mauduit.

Everyone is already considering seeing the Spaniard on the next Vuelta, but Philippe Mauduit remain cautious.

"The Vuelta, it is too early to decide. We hope he can do it and so does he but we must see how fast he recuperates," the French team director added.

Meanwhile, the remainder of the team are eager to start again and play their own cards, if only as a tribute to their leader.

It is the case in most other teams, IAM for instance, whose sports director Eddy Seigneur sees Sylvain Chavanel, Heinrich Haussler or Martin Elmiger try their luck on the road to Oyonnax.

"For us, the GC is over, so we're going to try everyday. Today and everyday."

At Cofidis, Yvon Sanquer hopes to see his his riders also go in the right breakaway: "It good be good today for Julien Simon, who recovers well, and especially for Luis Mate, aggressive since the start, and who has the means to win a stage if he believes in his chances."