Have you ever tried to eat a carbo gel when doing a maximum effort or riding at your threshold?

Better yet have you ever tried to do so with 11km to go in a race being lashed by wind and rain? Probably not, because eating is the last thing on your mind when you’re at your limit.

Then how composed, and physically comfortable, was Cadel Evans at the top of the category two Col de Manse, on stage 16 to Gap?

With Contador attacking, Samuel Sanchez holding on for grim death at the back, Evans sat comfortably between the Spaniards and ate a gel at the top of the final climb before embarking on one of the Tour’s most notorious descents.

That showed all the signs of a guy that, while the rest of the race was scrambling, was riding within himself. Given the physical demands of the high alpine climbs ahead this small detail was the one that I found the most telling of his outstanding ride into Gap.

The Team

There's been a lot made of the performance of the BMC Racing team this year. Rightly a fair portion of that attention has gone to Marcus Burghardt and George Hincapie for keeping Evans safe.

But commitment right across the team deserves recognition. On many of the flatter stages the key climbers on BMC – Amael Moinard and Steve Morabito – have been letting the peloton go when the crunch comes near the end of a stage in a crosswind.

This serves two purposes. Firstly, it ensures they’re out of trouble and that Evans doesn’t lose a vital teammate in one of the many crashes that have happened in the crosswinds. Secondly, it means these two guys spend a little less energy on those stages than many of the other climbers. Energy they can then use to work for Evans in the mountains.

Saxo Bank appears to have been doing the same with Contador’s main lieutenants, Jesus Hernandez and Daniel Navarro.

The Rivals

Contador is the biggest threat. Aside from being caught behind the crash on stage one and the team time trial he has only lost 16sec to Evans. Regardless of the cloud currently hanging over him, Contador has real fighting character.

Taking the race on the way he did, on the road to Gap, is all the evidence needed to know he won’t be surrendering his title without completely emptying the tank in its defense. And his has, SaxoBank team owner, Bjanre Riis in his corner.

The big Dane is a tactical genius with a burning desire for success that could ignite a fire blanket socking in a bath full of water.

As for the Schlecks they looked cooked on stage 16’s final climb and the descent just added insult to their general classification injuries. They were both slipping back through the chasing group, looking for wheels to follow, when Contador’s decisive attack came. It will require an epic turn around for either of the Luxembourg brothers to be wearing yellow in Paris.

Ivan Basso was worse for the rest day and now looks to be racing for the minor placings.

The wildcard in the deck is Samuel Sanchez. Do not underestimate this guy. He knows how to take his chances, as he did to Luz Ardiden and Plateau du Beille. Plus Sanchez can ride a mean time trial when required. He knocked Evans off the podium at the 2007 Vuetla a Espana (Tour of Spain) by winning the final time trial and Contador only beat him by 8sec iin last year’s final race against the clock at Le Tour.

As for Voeckler it would be against all odds but he is a joy to watch race.