The winner of stages six and nine doesn’t lack any confidence and it’s clear to see why. When the roads tilt towards the heavens, Riccardo Ricco has the power to make the mountains seem like flat terrain. He’s achieved some objectives but there are other things he’d like to take care of before the end of the Tour.

"I had told you the other day that I would win another one. Make not doubt about it, I’m the happiest man in the world but you better not take too much from my wins because I still want to help Piepoli get one as well. That’s a strong motivating factor for me because he is such a loyal team-mate. You saw that again today; his attack was great and it prompted others to chase and that set things up for me to make a strong attack at just the time when the other teams were easing up from the effort of the chase. Leonardo is in good form and I’ll try and help him succeed at Hautacam."

But Riccò is looking at the overall again as well: "I don’t mind about the losses in the time trial, I’m already happy with what I’ve done already in this Tour but I’m not the sort of rider who just gives up. I’ll keep on riding hard and who knows what might come from that? Maybe even better things are possible."

Riccò concluded: "It was not part of the plan to attack when I did it was just a spur of the moment decision and when I went, I was really impressive; I was so fast. The mountains are my domain and it’s great to be able to perform so well."

The first day in the mountains ended well for Team Columbia with Kim Kirchen finishing safely in the bunch and retaining the overall race lead for another day.

"Today was a key stage for the tour as it’s the first time the race hits the long climbs," said Team Director Rolf Aldag after yesterday's finish.  "We’re happy with the way the race went for us and that Kim was able to hold on to the yellow jersey."

"Tomorrow [today, editor]will also be a hard day as we head further into the Pyrenees and over Col du Tourmalet and Hautacam. It is probably one of the toughest days of the Tour."

Andy Schleck (CSC-Saxo Bank) is leading the young riders classification: "I'm happy that I get to wear the White Jersey but it wasn't something, which was on my mind out there. Today was all about trying to stay up front for me. In some weird way I'm actually a bit sad to have taken it from Thomas Lövkvist (Team Columbia) because he's a really good friend of mine, but such is life, I guess. Last year I got the jersey in the ninth stage of Giro d'Italia as well and kept it all the way through to the last stage, so I'm hoping to do the same here," said Andy Schleck after the stage.