David Millar's description of the Tour de France, moments after crossing the line some 36 and a half minutes behind the stage winner Santiago Botero, said it all.

"It's not sport - it's more like sado-masochism on a grand scale," he said.

"Eight and a half hours in the saddle after two weeks racing - I'm not impressed."

Millar, who led the race for the first three days, is now finding out for himself just how unforgiving the world's greatest cycling race can be.

He has also been hindered over the past two days by a partially dislocated shoulder and assorted aches and bruises following a crash.

The Scot is now 64th overall - just over an hour behind the leader Lance Armstrong.