Iban Mayo was one of the surprises in the first mountain stage of the Tour, finishing 153rd at 24'24 - a long way from his Dauphiné Libéré form that saw him in a stage in the Alps last month. The Basque, riding near home turf in the Pyrenees, didn't have an explanation. "I suffered a bit with a sore throat," he was quoted by Sportwereld as saying. "The fault of the aircon in the hotel. But that can't be called an excuse. In the beginning of the stage, I felt good, but when it went uphill I couldn't go. Why? No idea. The only thing left in this Tour is to hope for a recovery in the Alps. so that I can at least do something there."
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