Six days after the unfortunate mechanical incident that kicked Alejandro Valverde out of the 2nd position of the race, Movistar Team has got back into the 2013 Tour de France podium atop one of the most legendary summits in cycling.

Nairo Quintana is now in 3rd place overall after making the strongest performance of all race favourites on stage 18, a 172km trek from Gap to L’Alpe d'Huez including six rated climbs.

With Mollema and Ten Dam (BEL) dropped from the foot of the ascent, and with Contador and Kreuziger (TST) left behind midway, Quintana was the first to respond to a second acceleration from Froome, followed by Joaquím Rodríguez (KAT). The leaders stayed together before the final 5km, when Froome was dropped to eventually lose 1.06 at the finish. Nairo finished his effort in style, putting some seconds into Rodríguez to cross the line in 4th -with Valverde in 8th, just behind Froome. The time won over the Saxo duo takes Quintana right into 3rd -just 21 seconds down on Contador- with two infamous Alpine stages ahead.

"It was a fantastic stage for me,” Quintana said. “I gained some places in the overall and the day was really great for all the team. The race was super-fast from the start and everyone was suffering a lot - at the end, with those climbs to the L’Alpe d'Huez, everybody had to pay for all their efforts. I had really good legs in the finale and we talked about making the race hard. We knew the stage was gone and our goal was climbing up in the overall - keeping our place or even gaining some if possible. I didn't see when Froome raised his hand. I went away with Joaquím Rodriguez and it was sort of a one-on-one between us for the GC, because Froome is really ahead of the competition. Fortunately, I could get into the podium, buy my rivals are strong and we have to stay attentive, because attacks can appear wherever.

"It's going to be a really hard stage tomorrow. I hope to feel as strong as today and conserve my podium place. The coming two mountain stages will be decisive - it's not over yet, but I'm calm after having such a strong team with me. I'm also confident because I'm still feeling well halfway through the third week, but there are many moments of real struggling in the race, and you end up pedaling more with your mind than with your legs. Unless I have a bad day, I'm almost certain to win the white jersey, and now the podium has become a goal because we're onto it, but it will be hard with these rivals."