Team Sky's Chris Froome pulled off a herculean effort to win not only the eighth stage of the Tour De France but the yellow as well as the race hit the mountains for the first time.
This was a classice stage of 195kms from Castres, a town to the east of Toulouse to Ax 3 Domaines, taking in the ‘hors category’ Pailhères pass, on a day where temperatures matched those in Britain.
188 riders with no overnight abandoners, started the stage which saw Jonny Hoogerland of Vacansoleil and Jean Marc Marino of Sojasun, attacked with Christophe Riblon of AG2R, winner of the stage to Ax-3-Domaines in the 2010 race and Rudy Molard of Cofidis.
By the twenty kilometres mark and none of the riders a threat to the yellow jersey of Darryl Impey they had taken a lead of 7.20 which increased by another two and a half minutes, twenty kilometres later.
This meant that Riblon who was 4.49 down was the virtual leader on the road and the gap started to decrease. Straight away, a minute was wiped off as Lampre's Matteo Bono abandoned as the stage continued at speeds of 44.6km/h for the first two hours.
At the 119km mark, Jonny Hoogerland took the twenty points at Quillan as the average speed for the third hour was 42.7km/h, meaning that for the three hours of racing the average speed was 44.0km/h.
Things went uphill as we moved towards the highest point of the race on the Hors Category Port de Pailhères. With the peloton now 1.40 ahead, Hoogerland tried to attack but Riblon soon brought him back.
As the sprinters began to be spat out of the back of the peloton, the climbers came to the fore and there was a peloton of between 2-30 riders who were chasing down the front quartet.
Robert Gesink broke in an attempt to catch up to the escapers who had been unable to stay with Riblon as did Tommy Voeckler.
Race Leader Darryl Impey was another to be dropped as Nairo Quintana of Movistar attacked.He caught up to Voeckler.
The Colombian passed Gesink and then ensured Riblon's time was over. Back down the road,Europcar's Pierre Rolland tried to attack but was marshalled by four Team Sky riders in Kiryienka, Kennaugh, Porte and Froome.
Quintana kept going and he was first over the Port de Pailhères to take the 25 points and the five thousand euros for winning the Souvenir Henri Desgrange, some 27 seconds ahead of Rolland, Nieve, a minute back, Peter Kennaugh at 1.05, followed by Porte and Froome.
On the descent, Quintana, who does not have the same ability to descend as he does climbing, was slowly reeled back in by the Froome group who were travelling at speeds of 70km/h. The gap which had gone out to a minute dropped dramatically and Rolland closed to within 25 seconds with 16.5kms to go.
The riders started on the climb to the finish line at Ax 3 Domaines. Quntana was still away and Rolland now in a group with Cadel Evans and Danny Martin of Garmin Sharp.
Chris Froome was in a group with Porte, Contador and Valverde. and with in 5.5kms to go they were in sight of Quintana. Porte and Froome got in front of Contador and then Froome went.
He shot past Quintana and was out of the saddle charging away. If this was a day for Froome to stamp his mark on the 100th Tour De France, then this was it and Froome rode to a superb victory in a time of 5.03.17 with his team mate Richie Porte some 52 secondsback and Alejandro Valverde in third.
The victory was good enought to ensure that Chris Froome became the sixth British rider to wear the yellow jersey.
General Classification;
1. Chris Froome (GBR) SKY
2. Richie Porte (AUS) SKY at 51"
3. Alejandro Valverde (ESP) MOV at 1'25"
4. Bauke Mollema (NED) BEL at 1'44"
5. Laurens Ten Dam (NED) BEL at 1'50"
6. Roman Kreuziger (CZE) TST at 1'51"
7. Alberto Contador (ESP) TST at 1'51"
Green Jersey - Peter Sagan
Kings Of The Mountains - Pierre Rolland
White Jersey - Nairo Quintana
Combative - Nairo Quintana