Julich and Voigt were in the tardy peleton

Strictly speaking, the peloton was outside the time limit and eligible for disqualification from the Tour.

But, in the interest of a good race, there was no chance of them actually being eliminated by the organisers.

Had the lead group stayed together and all riders been given the same time, it would have been the greatest winning margin in a stage of the Tour in the post war era.

That record stands at 22 minutes and 50 seconds by Spaniard, Jose Luis Viejo, on a stage from Montgenevre to Manosque, in 1976.

Hats off

As it was, the breakaway split in the closing kilometres, with nine men finishing two-and-a-half minutes after the winner.

Nonetheless, all 14 were still more than 22:50 ahead of the main field at the finish.

Chapeau - as they say in France - for a fine effort on a thoroughly gloomy, dispiriting day.