Brad and Graham Willgoss look back on another rip-roaring day at the Tour de France that saw AG2R-Citroën's Ben O'Connor solo to a brilliant stage win that cut Tadej Pogacar's lead on GC to just two minutes.

One HC and two Category 1 climbs on the Queen Stage of the race took their toll on the peloton, decimating the field on Stage 9.

"The last two days, it's been hard to follow it," says Brad. "I've not seen a Tour de France like it. It was savage today, and there's not many riders who could have coped with those conditions and those temperatures like Ben O'Connor did. He did it in such style, as well."

Tadel Pogacar again looked imperious, hitting the rocket boosters on the final climb and riding away from Team Ineos's Richard Carapaz. Pogacar's superiority has brought with it questions from some quarters that Brad believes are unfair.

"It's funny how it's always Ineos who face those questions when there's a performance like that, and people like Chris Froome after his performance on Ventoux," he says. "But they don't seem to be raised with Pogacar, and I don't think they should be raised. He's a phenomenon of the sport."

One bright spot for Dave Brailsford's squad: it was a much better day for Geraint Thomas. "I'm really pleased for him," says Brad. "I don't think this race is over for G yet. It is for GC, but he can pick up a stage win the way he was going today."

Brad was also impressed with Mark Cavendish and Deceuninck – Quick-Step's efforts to get Cav through what he called 'the one stage I was terrified of':

"I saw him getting dropped on the first climb, and he had three or four teammates around him," says Brad. "It shows the difference that a team makes to you, committed to a cause and committed to Mark as well. And it shows he was lacking on the team front a couple of years ago, and he's back in his rightful place."

Brad sums up the first week: "It's been savage, and I don't remember a Tour like it." A much-needed rest day, then – but lots to look forward to.

"We're on the race after that," says Brad. "So it's going to go up a level."

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