With back-to-back Tour de France stage victories including conquering Alpe d'Huez, it's no wonder Geraint Thomas is struggling to come to terms with what he has achieved.
The British rider extended his lead over compatriot and reigning Tour de France champion Chris Froome as he won a five-man sprint finish in the mountains.
Staying close to Tom Dumoulin and Romain Bardet, Thomas had plenty left in the tank in the final 5km to overhaul long-time leader of the stage Steven Kruijswijk and storm to victory.
After an intense stage 12, the Welshman admitted he was not expecting to win a second successive day, opening up a lead of one minute, 39 seconds to Froome.
He said: “Honestly I’m speechless. I don’t know what to say. No chance in hell did I think I was going to win this.
“I followed [Tom] Dumoulin and [Romain] Bardet. Froome was attacking and I was following him. I don’t know what to say.
"I did say after stage 11 that this race could be made for me but I can be happy now. Maybe I’ll keep the yellow jersey for the next few days.
“This race is so hard and you never know how the body reacts. I just cannot believe it.”
For a long time, it looked as if Thomas, a two-time Olympic gold medallist in team pursuit, would relinquish his yellow jersey as Kruijswik opened up a commanding lead in the climb up Alpe d’Huez.
But Thomas stay alongside his rival and as Italy’s Vincenzo Nibali crash with 4km to go, the race became even tighter.
The 31-year-old was too good for his opponents as he outlasted them to become a serious contender for the overall crown.
Stage 13 will now see riders head from Bourg d’Oisans to Valence in a 169.5km ride on Friday. Sportsbeat 2018