By the end of stage 17 of this year's Tour de France, just eight of the 23 teams had scored at least one stage win and the fight to make it into the break of the day was growing ever more fraught as a consequence.
For Basque veteran Ion Izagirre (Cofidis), due to retire at the end of the season, his squad's constant pushing for a still-elusive victory was helping keep him on his toes, right through to the end of the race.
