With most of the bunch recovering from a rest day where wounds and aches from the cobbles continued to surface, Stage 10 was a somewhat subdued affair among the main GC favourites. A headwind, Sky setting a tough pace and the finish coming 14km from the top of the final climb didn't help matters.
But Mitchelton-Scott is looking ahead to tomorrow's 108.5km stage from Albertville to La Rosière.
"Clearly tomorrow is probably one of the hardest days of the Tour." Adam Yates' key domestique in the mountains, Australian Damien Howson said.
"We done (sic) it in the Critérium du Dauphiné three or four weeks ago, all carnage arose from that stage so I think we can expect something similar tomorrow."
Howson refers to Stage 6 of this year's Critérium du Dauphiné which featured much of the same route as that on the menu for the Tour's Stage 11. Won by a rider from the day's break, GC contenders Geraint Thomas, Dan Martin and Romain Bardet all finished within seconds of each other.
"For the spectators sitting on the lounge at home it definitely gives an exciting race. Anytime that we're suffering or in serious pain that's clearly when the viewers like it the most," Howson said.
"So strap in for tomorrow's stage I reckon."
Like the fans on the couch, Howson's leader Yates also prefers the shorter stages.
"When it's long we kind of mess around for a lot of it and then we start racing at the end. But when it's short we race from the beginning and I like that it's good fun. I enjoy it more."
The Brit said Stage 10 contained a lot of suffering, but he still had the legs.
"I'm suffering, everyone's suffering but sometimes you see people lashing at pedals or nodding their head just a lot of signs of that. (But) I was in a good position and I had good legs so no stress for me."
While many expect a lot from the 108.5 kilometres tomorrow, Mitchelton-Scott director Matt White urged cautious optimism.
"We did this stage in the Dauphine so we know this stage quite well. But we've got to pick our moments when we can attack because obviously Sky have numbers and when we do attack we got to make it count."
Strap yourself in! Watch Stage 11 of the 2018 Tour de France on SBS LIVE from 9.30pm AEST with pre-show intros or go direct to the racing on the at 9.50pm AEST.
