In the marvellous speech in The Thin Man, Orson Welles sums up what Switzerland has given the world after centuries of peace and stability: the cuckoo clock. Monday's ride into Bern went off with clockwork precision; the rest of the 2016 Tour de France has been cuckoo.The detour into neutral territory should have been a final triumph for Spartacus, but there are too many miles in the legs of Swiss rider Fabian Cancellara - who has announced his retirement - for the old general of the peleton to challenge at the front.Besides, with Oleg Tinkov hobbling about on the finish line, it would have taken several Roman legions to stop Peter Sagan's charge to stage victory.The eccentric Saxo owner has said he will stop funding the team at the end of the season and Alberto Contador's injury-induced abandonment seemed the final straw. But Sagan's skill - and third stage victory this year - almost ensures he will win the points classification again this year and a fifth green jersey might persuade Tinkov to give it another go.After yesterday's rest day, the Tour turns back towards France, with four tough stages in the Alps before Sunday's procession to Paris.Unusually, the route does not encompass any of the legendary climbs, such as Alpe d'Huez. Instead, there is a rare mountain time trial tomorrow - a 17km ride including two hard kilometres up the Côte de Domancy - and a new 12km climb up the Montée de Bisanne during Friday's stage.Second-placed Bauke Mollema, riding for Trek-Segafredo, will have to shed his invisibility cloak and make a move on one of the longer stages as he is more likely to lose time than cut into leader Chris Froome's 1min 47sec advantage in the time trial.As for Movistar's Nairo Quintana, it seems his ambition is to set a new record as Tour bridesmaid. He appears content to spend weeks one metre from a yellow jersey-clad derriere.Froome's Sky train has hardly been troubled. The biggest obstacle to the Brit's third title might come in the final furlong of real racing - the nightmare 14km off the Joux Plane on Saturday. Throughout this year's remarkable race, though, Froome has been like that other great Swiss gift to the world - the multitooled penknife. Whenever he's been in trouble, he just breaks out another gadget and increases his lead.Today will be decision day for Dimension Data's sprinter Mark Cavendish. Does he drag himself over the Alps for another bid for glory on the Champs Elysees on Sunday, or focus on the Rio Olympics?At 31, this will probably be his last shot at gold. On the other hand, he has owned the other sprinters in the Tour this year. Whichever he chooses, with four stage wins in 2016 - and 30 overall - he has been sensational for the South African team...