ALBI (France) • Team Ineos boss Dave Brailsford said yesterday that his riders were perfectly poised for another Tour de France win at the halfway stage after 10 roller-coaster stages so far.

Reigning champion Geraint Thomas, backed up by team co-captain Egan Bernal, also said that victory was within his grasp and all was well in the Ineos camp.

That is in stark contrast to last year when the outfit, riding as Team Sky, were booed and jeered on the road by a hostile public upset that team leader Chris Froome had been cleared to ride amid doping allegations.

"Without a shadow of a doubt, this is the most positive start we have ever had, a dramatic change from last year," said a relaxed Brailsford, speaking on a rest day before racing resumes today.

At the same stage last year, Brailsford was engaged in a war of words with organisers about treatment meted out to Team Sky.

"We can all speculate as to why that is, but to be supported like this and have a positive experience adds to the joy of it," said the man who has masterminded six titles from the past seven Tours.

"Ineos is a more open organisation and we are enjoying ourselves," he added, despite the absence of Froome, forced out of the Tour by injury following a horrific crash last month.

Defending champion Thomas is currently second and trailing Julian Alaphilippe by 1min 12sec, while 22-year-old Colombian Bernal is just four seconds behind the Welshman after a string of attacks from the Frenchman lit up the opening section of the Tour.

"It's been excellent," said Thomas. "Things are really starting to heat up.

"The parcours has had a lot to do with it with tricky hills placed near the end of stages and stuff."

Alaphilippe has launched three blistering attacks in such stages - in the Champagne region where he first took the yellow jersey, in a joint attack with Thibaut Pinot when he took it back from Giuloio Ciccone, and on the narrow crosswind swept road to Albi on Monday.

"Alaphilippe being so aggressive has made a difference. It's been a great start, now for the second half of the race."

With Froome absent, Thomas said he was enjoying being the "captain" and defending champion while relishing the challenge from Alaphilippe for the overall title.

"We have one simple goal, to win the Tour, other teams are here to win stages and stuff like that," said Thomas. "It's been a great 10 days, and would have been even better if we were just a couple of seconds behind Alaphilippe instead of over a minute.

"But Alaphilippe is not necessarily a (title) contender. By the second rest day, we'll know a lot more and, if he has increased his advantage we'll be a lot more concerned."

REUTERS, AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE