But Froome will not be required to go any faster than others who assail him. They have all shown themselves on AX3 to be found wanting and their performances were at or below baseline performances from 2008 to present. Froome on the other hand was 4.5% above that level and 1.9% above 2002-2007 levels. He is the anomaly in the Tour. Take him out and the race is wide open. He will not need to set record times if the others are merely at or below baseline GT levels. It does not matter ... uphill, downhill or flat, the other GC riders are losing huge chunks of time. Like I said Saturday, this thing is over ... and after just 38km of hard riding. Valverde has it right, know when you are beaten.