Originally Posted by
furiousferret
Every stage has some randomness and luck, but the cobbles intensify it and has essentially snuffed out at least one contender.
Except it happened in the first 10k, before the cobbles even started.. that could've been any stage.
I think the cobbles are a gimmick, but a great one. Like @
MDcatV said, it's something different than the usual formula.
And it's not like Froome totally falls apart out there, most of the climber guys generally survive stages like that. Did the time gaps change that much (besides Van Avermat gaining some time, which he'll lose eventually anyway).