Chris Froome hammered more time into his rivals when he won the fifteenth stage of the 100th Tour De France on top of the iconic Mont Ventoux.
A 242km stage from Givors, midway between Stage 14's finish at Lyon and St Ettienne on Bastille Day, featured four climbs and a sprint before the race paid its eighth visit to the hors category Mont Ventoux, described by Rene Char as the last mountain before the sea.
On a beautiful day, it was an early start for the 181 riders, 179 of whom watched on as BMC's Philippe Gilbert and Vacansoleil's Lieuwe Westra were the first to attack.
They were caught at the 7km mark and Reza of Europcar, Vacansoleil's Thomas De Gendt and Radio Shack's Kloden took over. De Gendt did try a solo raid and took the single point on the cote d'Eyzin-Pinet climb but by the 24kms mark, he was dragged by the peloton.
King Of The Mountains leader Pierre Rolland took the point on the Cote de Primarette but at the 34km point, Sagan, Irizar, Fedrigo, Roy, Riblon, Losada, Chavanel, Impey, Poels, and El Fares of Cofidis formed a new lead group.
After the first hour of racing at speeds of 48.2km/h, the group of ten, were 6.50 ahead of the peloton and an hour later, speeds had gone up to 50.4km/h with Rolland and Burghardt, some 3.10 behind the front group.
After the feedzone, El Fares was shed by the escapers and caught by the peloton who were now 3.30 behind.
The speed for the third hour dropped to 41.3km/h as Jeremy Roy took the two points for the cote de Bourdeaux:climb.
Movistar led the peloton who were three minutes behind with fifty kilometres to go as the average speed for the fourth over increased to 45.5km/h.
Peter Sagan came up to the front of the leading group to take the twenty points at the sprint at Crestet, ahead of Chavanel, Impey, Poels and Roy.
As the D19 finished, it was onto the start of the climb of the Ventoux. There were reports of up to a million people, including plenty of Brits on the 21km climb to the summit watching on as Omega Pharma Quick Step's Sylvain Chavanel's went off the front, whilst Pierre Rolland and Geraint Thomas dropped off the back of the peloton.
The riders, many of whom had advised their fans to stay back whilst on the Ventoux, were fighting their way through the crowds on the roads.
Bakelandts, Nieve and Quintana of Movistar bridged to Chavanel, who won the day's combativity award and it was Quintana and Nieve who now led with 12kms to go.
Richie Porte was doing a great turn, having taken over from Peter Kennaugh to try and keep race leader Chris Froome in touch with the escapers.
The duo out front were 31 seconds clear of Froome who was followed all the way by Saxo Tink Off's Alberto Contador with eight to go but nine hundred metres, there was the famous Chris Froome kick and a burst of speed saw him fly away from Contador.
Nairo Quintana was in his sights and Froome caught him within three hundred metres and and then dispatched the Colombian with another burst of speed.
Quintana did get back into his wheel and worked with Froome whilst thirty seconds back Contador and Nieve were struggling to keep up.
With two kilometres to go, Froome and Quintana were nearly a minute ahead of Contador. Froome kicked again and went put twelve seconds into Quintana.
Froome could see the finish line which now hosts a number of telecommunications installations and he pressed on, despite the hurt to win in a time of 5.48. 45.
Quintana came in 31 seconds with Nieve third 1.24 down with Contador coming in at 1.40 down.
Froome, who is now the King Of The Mountains leader after taking fifty points for the win on Ventoux, now leads the race from Mollema by 4-14, Contador is third at 4.25 with Roman Kreuziger fourth at 4.28 and Belkin's Laurens Ten Dam fifth at 4.54.
Team Sky Boss David Brailsford said to Eurosport: "We were concerned about the break but our plan was always to get Froome, Porte and Kennaugh to the bottom of the Ventoux as fresh as possible. This was always a day where we could gain time. Froome has not been stressed at all and has remained strong and confident. His self belief system is in place and that is what it is all about. "