"My big objective was to gain time on Bardet," said 24-year-old Thibaut Pinot (pictured) of his 23-year-old countryman after moving up to third in the General Classification.

"Seeing that I could drop Valverde, too, at the same time is a huge boost to my morale. We'll see what happens [today]. I'll keep on trying."

Omega Pharma Quick-Step rider Mark Renshaw:, external Today is not going to be fun. Short stage and lots of climbing. Safety in numbers guys.

Geraint Thomas
Team Sky's five-time Tour de France rider

Image source, Tour de France

"We went to see the final climb on this stage after the Criterium du Dauphine and it's a tough ascent. The climbs before it, added to the fact it's the last week, makes this one of the hardest day's of this year's race.

"It will be a big General Classification battle and all the main contenders will have done a recce of this stage. Expect lots of aggressive riding on the final ascent."

Afternoon all and a very warm welcome to live coverage of stage 17 of the Tour de France. Yesterday, we had the longest stage. Today, it's the shortest.

But there are four huge climbs and three fast descents to contend with - so expect plenty of action.

Image source, Getty Images

"I imagined that Pinot (pictured) was attacking to get a bit of a margin before the downhill," was Valverde's excuse for being dropped on this hill while Nibali insisted: "I was getting some energy gels from my back pocket. It wasn't that I got dropped."

Both plausible excuses, but it takes nothing away from Pinot's impressive performance on the climbs. With four of them on today's stage 17 route, there's every chance the script could be well and truly ripped up.

Image source, L'Equipe

The French sport daily L'Equipe splashed Thibaut Pinot on its front page after the Frenchman's stunning exploits on the climb of Port de Bales in yesterday's stage.

"Barring an earthquake, a Frenchman will be on the podium in Paris," wrote the paper.

Pinot has moved into third overall, after dropping race leader Vincenzo Nibali and second-placed Alejandro Valverde on the ascent of the final climb.

He was caught on the fast descent, something of a weakness for the FDJ rider, but proved nonetheless that he will be very much in the mix, if not for the overall victory but at least second-place on the podium come Paris.

Bernard Hinault was the last French victor, winning his fifth and final yellow jersey in 1985.

You still have to go back 17 years since the last French rider made the podium, Richard Virenque achieving the feat.

But this year, at long last, is different. There is not one, not two, but three riders in the top five, prompting the French sporting public and press to get very excited.

It's been a testing Tour for the British, who began with such high hopes for defending champion Chris Froome and serial stage winner Mark Cavendish.

But for the French, it's been something of a renaissance for the host nation who have waited 29 excruciatingly long years for a home winner.