The Tour entered the second rest day pretty much the same way as it did the first, with Thomas Voeckler holding a 1:49 lead in the GC and Alberto Contador still yet to find his legs. Saddles takes a look back at the last six days of action...

Stage 10

The race restarted where it had left off, with a pile-up occurring just 10km into the stage and an attack from a FDJ rider (who either have a new breakfast chef, or have had their sponsor write some new stringent clauses into their contracts). Unfortunately for headline writers, there was no mist in Carmaux when Andre Greipel got the better of old foe Mark Cavendish to win his first stage on the Tour. With Cav claiming earlier in the race that he was responsible for farting in the face of his fellow riders, the Gorilla's win could essentially still be seen as a "sh*t" one. The HTC counsellor had his work cut out, with Cavendish absolutely distraught at the finish – although the expected fireworks between the two rivals never came, with both men proving to be very respectful of one another to the media. Spoilsports.

Stage 11

Robotic Cavendish proved he never makes the same mistake twice – except for dating glamour models – when he repaid every one of his HTC teammates with an emphatic victory in Lavaur after what essentially amounted to a team time trial for 120km. Bak and Pate made Boom go Bust before Renshaw did the usual – all while Alessandro Petacchi watched from afar wondering what kind of pasta he was going to have for dinner, where he had left his inhaler and whether or not he really should ride for Kazakhstan in the world championships. Rather selfishly, the peloton decided to take a day off from crashing on every tight bend or narrow straight, instantly slashing viewing figures of the race by 35 per cent. Cav took the green jersey, but it was the slightly darker green jerseys of the race's current top team who were proving the most popular, despite Leopard Trek's Stuart O'Grady obnoxious and sarcastic tweet ahead of the Pyrenees: "Gonna be fun watching Europcar trying to control the race … ;)".

Stage 12

It was indeed fun watching Europcar not only trying but successfully controlling the race as Thomas Voeckler held on to his yellow jersey while the orange climbing machine that is Samuel Sanchez took the spoils at Luz Ardidez. Europcar recovered from losing three men – including Voeckler – on a tight bend to see their leader and Pierre Rolland prove to be a far more mouthwatering duo that the two Leopard Schlecks. Alberto Contador lost a little time, continuing his ploy of making the whole peloton think he's off the boil – when really he just watched Rocky IV after the Giro and thought how fun it would be to tire the others out, Drago-style, before mounting his proper challenge. Welsh wonder Geraint Thomas threw away a lot of drinking money after allowing Jeremy Roy to cross the Tourmalet in pole position on Bastille Day, not realising there was a 5,000 euro prize up for grabs. Still, Thomas proved good value for money when he crashed twice on the next descent – also showing golfing prowess in his ability to find the green on both occasions.

Stage 13

The whole of France goes up in arms when traitor David Moncoutie failed to put his own chances of victory aside and gift Jeremy Roy the spoils instead. As it was, both Frenchmen came up short to Norway's Thor Hushovd, who in truth was probably always going to win it anyway. Despite being French and nicknamed 'The Postman', Moncoutie decides against going on strike, saying he will attack again later in the race (FDJ, be warned). Tour director Christian Prudhomme goes on the record to say that the changes in the green jersey points system were designed primarily with Mark Cavendish in mind. But when quizzed by reporters, he denies claims that the changes in the yellow jersey competition – namely the clear muzzling of Alberto Contador – were implemented with Thomas Voeckler in mind. "Petit Blanc? We expected him to finish 134th. Although now he's yellow, we'll do our best to keep it that way all the way to Paris," he 'Allo 'Allo'ed.

Stage 14

The Tour's Queen stage proved a bit of a damp squib with a Belgian – yes, a Belgian! – winning and taking the King of the Mountains jersey, and Jack-of-all-trades Voeckler not only sticking with the entire group of race favourites, but actually dictating the pace up the Plateau de Beille. Once again Jelle Vanendert and Samuel Sanchez were allowed up the road to compete for the win, while Ivan Basso – according to "Frandy" – proved to be the only game big rider after a final climb which could have been the perfect advert for Sellotape. With Contador completing the climb two minutes slower than he had in 2007, and yet losing no significant time to his main rivals in the process, the Spaniard was understandably all smiles. The money he placed on himself winning the Tour as his odds plummeted during the Pyrenees will produce enough lavish returns in Paris in one week's time to pay for his entire legal costs twice over. Elsewhere in the race, fate dealt out a cruel blow to Laurens Ten Dam, the last man in the peloton who deserved further facial disfigurement, when he somersaulted into a ditch. Jens Voigt also crashed twice in one descent – in doing so ruling the Port de Lers climb out for at least two seasons.

Stage 15

Saddles thinks Cavendish won this one, but don't quote him on that for he had fallen asleep well before the finale in Montpellier. The big talking point on this prime-time Sunday afternoon stage was not the racing, but whether or not Voeckler could ride all the way to Paris in yellow. Lance Armstrong and Robbie McEwen seemed to think so, although the man himself told the world he had "a scoop for you – I have zero chance of winning the Tour de France". Of course, he's probably right – for as soon as Contador (who has been riding with the hand-break on) actually starts pedalling properly (he's using the wrong knee, you see) then everyone is doomed.

Stage 16 prediction

Andy Schleck will fall on the descent into Gap, prompting Contador to swing over a ditch and ride cross country – a la Armstrong – to avoid his hip-shanked, collared rival. Both Voeckler and Gilbert will attack on the descent, with Phil Gil taking the win and Tommy V extending his lead in the GC to 2:30 over Cadel Evans (Frank, you see, will wait for Andy). At the press conference afterwards, Voeckler will again reiterate that he has "110 per cent zero chance of winning the Tour" before going to watch the final of the Apprentice on iPlayer in his hired team bus.

Follow Blazin' Saddles throughout the day on www.twitter.com/saddleblaze.

Blazin' Saddles / Eurosport