Two French riders battling for the win. Baby Blackbird shaking them all up on the Madelaine. What more could you possibly want from a Queen Stage? Add in Fabian Cancellera being utterly fabulous in Switzerland and I thought I was dreaming!!

Criterium du Daphine, Stage Six, La Rochette to Meribel, 141km

Thibaut Pinot saved his and FDJ’s Dauphine by taking the win on the Queen stage – he makes a habit of that does Tibbles. The man beaten on the line, Romain Bardet (Ag2r-La Mondiale), grabs himself third step on the GC podium. Perhaps this could have been more if the duo had played it a little differently. Dan Martin (Etixx-Quickstep) – yes I know!! – outsprinted Chris Froome (Sky) to take third. Froome increased his grip on the leader’s jersey and with one stage to go holds 21secs on both Richie Porte (BMC) and Bardet.

Highlights…

Alberto Contador (Tinkoff)animated the racing on the Col de la Madelaine (not that anyone saw it live !!) but ended the day off the podium. Loved his quote as he was warming down post stage – “Good training, no?”

Tour de Suisse, Stage One, Baar to Baar, ITT, 6.4km

Fabian Cancellara (Trek-Seagfredo) took a hugely emotional win in the opening time trial. The Swiss rider held nothing back, just pipping Lotto-Soudal’s Jurgen Roelandts by a second and Luke Durbridge (Orica-GreenEDGE) by two. The changeable weather and highly technical course made for a close run stage, with just 10secs seperating the top 10 on the day.

Highlights

THIS is how much it meant (starts right in with the #SacredHaunches)…

Links:

Official site for the Criterium du Dauphine , Twitter #Dauphine

Official site for the Tour de Suisse, Twitter #TourDeSuisse

Featured Image: Chris Froome – © Bryn Lennon/Getty Images