Just been reading the stage reports in the French press. They are full of insistent sceptical questioning as to how a puncher with only 3/30 victories being TTs can beat the best in the world, not by a couple of seconds but by handfuls, after being at the front of the Tour for 8 days, and beating the worlds best climbers every time and jump off the bike at the end looking like he hadn't just ridden up a 500m 17% climb faster than anyone else. They are being every bit as challenging as they have for Wiggins, Froome, and Thomas (more so in fact, because they couldn't abide the possibility of a French cheat) and arent just accepting Alaphilippe's lame excuses as would be expected from the British press. No eulogising here just because he is French, no favoritism, just pure journalistic integrity.
Its refreshing.