What about the team component and tactics?
A number of well placed GC riders, Yates, Valverde, Porte etc. all said, that on the big mountain stages they had thoughts and intentions of, being more animated and aggressive, but because SKY set such a wicked tempo, just prior to and early on, on the big climbs in the GC group, because you were already near the limit, attacking them/Froome was next to useless.
And we saw that, any attempted attacks, typically went no where and when they, really did stick and get some ground and stick for at least bit, the rider would invariably blow up (Mollema).
The only attacks and moves of any kind that had an impact on the GC were Bardet's late move to win a stage and move up to 2nd, and Kreuzinger's savvy, early move, with some massive help from Sagan, to leap up a few places and into the top-10.
Otherwise, for those in the top-10 on the GC, it was an exercise, of ounce there, just sit in the Yellow Jersey group for as long as you can, on every mountain stage! I have the hugest respect for Nairo Quintana, but he never went on the offensive ounce, just stayed steady, and on wheels for the most part, right into 3rd place.
What's odd is that, while Froome won by 4+ minutes, it was one of the closest TDF's ever from 2nd - 10th! But there really was not that much action among the final 2nd - 10th places.
More on this here -
http://cyclingtips.com/...gc-battle-so-boring/
Steve Fleck @stevefleck | Blog