When Dan Martin crashed hard on stage nine of the Tour de France last Sunday week and crossed the line 1’15” down on stage winner Rigoberto Uran, many felt his best ever chance of a podium in the sport’s greatest contest had passed him by.

Lance Armstrong fought off a brave attack from Alexander Vinokourov of Kazakhstan to retain the leader‘s yellow jersey in what remains one of the closest races ever in the 100-year history of the Tour de France.