The clock is ticking for Nairo Quintana et al to seriously attack and trouble Chris Froome and his seemingly impregnable Team Sky team at this Tour de France. However stage 15 over the Grand Colombier to Culoz at least offers the raw materials for anyone prepared to tilt at the windmill.
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When the 2016 Tour de France route was unveiled last October, this 160-kilometre leg through the Jura, with its six climbs and sinuous descents, must have seemed the ideal day for an ambush on Team Sky, much like the one the team weathered on the road to Luchon in 2013.
Bauke Mollema (Trek-Segafredo) is the closest to Froome on GC, 1:47 behind, but one wonders if the Dutchman is more focused on preserving a podium place than truly attempting to wrest yellow from Froome.
"If I have good legs, I’ll try to get away and pick up some seconds," he said.
Today would seem like the place to start.