BMC Racing Team's Cadel Evans said he suffered through one of his most difficult days in the Tour de France as the race reached the mountains of the Pyrenees Saturday.

Evans conceded 4’13” to stage winner Chris Froome, who soloed in 51 seconds ahead of Sky Procycling teammate Richie Porte to take the race lead.

"It was my worst day in the Tour when I've been healthy. I was nowhere in the mix," Evans said. "I knew I wasn't at my best, but certainly I didn't expect to be that far off the best." Evans went on to finish 26th in the 195km stage and sits 23rd overall, 4’36” behind Froome. "Sky rode a tempo that was really consistent – from when they started on the Pailhères to when they hit the bottom of Ax-3-Domaines," Evans said. "They rode a consistent, solid pace. Not many people could match it."

BMC Racing Team's Tejay van Garderen, winner of the best young rider classification at the race last year, finished 12’15” behind Froome in 56th. Van Garderen said he suffered in the heat more than the effects of a crash on the opening stage one week ago.

"The heat really started getting to me, which is strange because I'd done a lot to prepare for the heat with the sauna and I've had good rides in California and San Luis, which were all really hot," van Garderen said. "So I didn't think that was going to be an issue. But for some reason, today, it really seemed to affect me."

Teammate Michael Schär, who was caught up in crashes on Wednesday and Friday – the latter of which injured his left shoulder – managed to finish the stage in 164th place, 31’15” down.