The peloton takes a little but of altitude in the Vosges at the weekend and the question at the start on Saturday was whether the massif, less familiar than the Alps or Pyrenees, was hard enough to make a difference.

There were mixed feelings in the Village Départ.

“The breaking point is here. Everybody's tired. The tension is constant since the start of the Tour. And that's why many riders will crack. We checked the climbs and it's tough', said BMC team director Yvon Ledanois.

“There's a lot up for grabs. The Vosges are a great playground, the stages are well designed and its possible to try something,” said Philippe Mauduit, Alberto Contador's team chief at Tinkoff-Saxo.

On the other hand, Yvon Madiot was not so convinced.

“The Vosges, in my opinion, won't make a big difference between the favourites. We're not on the eve of a stage in the Alps or the Pyrenees. There will be damage at the back but I can't see the favourites lose serious time,” the FDJ team director said.