The Publicity Caravan

You can dissect any part of the Tour de France and inevitably you’ll find it steeped in tradition. The French are a passionate people and they have respect for the way things have always been done. That is part of the reason we still see the phenomenon that is known as the Caravan, well, that and the fact that big money is involved!

The Caravan is the collective name for the horde of publicity floats, cars, trucks and of course, caravans, that roll along the race route each day, before the race comes through. According to the official TdF website, the Caravan begun in 1930 when the then race director, Henri Desgrange, became frustrated with the hold the various cycling brands had on the race. To break their domination he made the cyclists all use the same equipment, and race for national teams, as opposed to corporate sponsored ones. A great idea - but this left the corporates out in the cold, and no sporting event can survive without some sort of support from the fat cats. To get around this Desgrange came up yet another novel idea. Desgrange encouraged cars and bikes and other various types of vehicles covered in marketing messages to drive the route before the race, for a fee of course. And so, the publicity caravan was born.

It was not until the 1960’s that teams were again allowed to be sponsored by companies, but by that time the publicity caravan had become a part of the Tour de France that was just as important as the iconic yellow jersey or the Col de Tormalet. Fans now lined the streets in their tens of thousands not just to see the race, but to see that spectacle that is the Caravan. Children eagerly await the goodies that are thrown from the floats, and adults get a kick from the colourful and imaginative floats that pass by.

The period between the 1930’s and 1960 was the heyday of the Caravan, this was the time before television, when companies used whatever means possible to promote their wares. This was the time when the Menier Chocolate Company threw out tons of chocolates to the eager crowds and the time when Cinzano, the aperitif company, hired acrobats to wow the crowd.

And of course there are many tales associated with the publicity caravan, some true, and some are extravagant embellishments of events that may or may not have happened; but all add to the romance of the Tour. For example, there is the tale of the French accordionist, Yvette Horner, who entertained the crowds as she sat atop her Peugeot van and played her typically French café-style music for many years in the 60’s, and who became such an icon that she was given the prestigious responsibility of awarding the yellow jersey at the conclusion of the days racing. And unfortunately there have even been a couple of deaths associated with the caravan, like that of Melvin Pompele, a seven year old boy who was struck by one of the vehicles in the caravan when he ran out onto the road. 

Nowadays, the publicity caravan is an integral part of the Tour. The caravan provides an essential revenue stream for the Société du Tour de France, and the spectacle makes the event a more attractive drawcard for tourists, which is beneficial for the French economy.

A survey revealed that 39% of people come to see the race primarily for the caravan, which typically provides about 45 minutes of entertainment. And why not? They get to see brightly painted floats, get loads of free stuff, see life-size cartoon characters from the latest Hollywood blockbusters and see some of the strangest contraptions on four wheels in the world, and as an added bonus, if they stick around afterward they get to see the worlds best cyclists doing battle in the worlds biggest bike race!

Rest Days

There are some pretty amazing statistics associated with the Tour de France. This year the competitors will cycle 3,479 kilometres over 21 days, during this time they will burn an average of 6000 calories per day and put an incredible strain on their bodies. Many will fall and get back up and keep on cycling, many will push through pain and muscle strains, and many will simply drop out due to sheer exhaustion. It’s a tough event, there’s no denying it, it’s an incredible human feat to just finish a Tour de France; this is why the race is so famous.

But the cyclists do get some respite over the three weeks. Two rest days are scheduled into the three-week race, this year the first comes after the stage 9 individual time-trial, and the second comes after the relatively short and flat 15th stage. After sticking to a strict racing routine for so many days, after so many hours in the saddle, and after living off protein bars, energy gels and carbohydrate loaded isotonic sports fluids for so long, what exactly are the cyclists meant to do on a rest day?    

If it were me, I know exactly what I would be doing. I’d place the ‘do not disturb’ sign on my hotel door, grab myself a bucket of KFC chicken, and then sleep the day away! Unfortunately, the TdF cyclists don't get to enjoy this level of self-indulgence, and eating whatever they please is definitely off the cards. Afterall, it was a rest day back in 2010 when Contador supposedly ate a steak, that came from a clenbuterol addicted cow, that led to his failed drug test.

The cyclists will continue their strict diet of carefully prepared foods that are assembled by team cooks, under strict instruction from team nutritionists and physicians. On a rest day, if anything, they will eat a little more than usual to re-stock their calorie ‘bank’. For example, a 180km stage will require ingestion of approximately 5500 calories, if a rider fails to take on enough food during the days riding (say, 4000), they may finish the race ok but their bodies will ‘remember’ the remaining 1500 calories that were not ingested. Continual under-eating will build up and the rider will eventually exhaust all their energy stores, effectively ending their Tour campaign.

The day will be spent adjusting game plans and going over future tactics. Physically, the team directors will allow their riders some moments of reprieve on a rest day, they will get to catch up on a little sleep and they will spend time with team masseuses and medics, easing strained muscles and treating their various war-wounds. However, there is no real time for true lengthy rest during a TdF, and yes, you guessed it, a ride is a must. The teams will gather for a two-three hour formation ride, keeping an easy pace, but one that would still leave any weekend warrior for dead. To stay off the bike would be to send the wrong message to the body.

Though, there are some exceptions to the rule. Many will remember the horrific crash during stage 9 of the 2011 TdF involving Johnny Hoogerland, Juan Antonio Flecha and a sideswiping French television car that left Hoogerland with deep cuts to his legs, requiring 33 stitches. Luckily for Flecha and Hoogerland, the following day was a rest day, which would have been spent tending to their various cuts and bruises – there would have been no cycling for them that day.  

And, as there always is with with all facets of the TdF, there are tactics and politics that come into play on the rest days. With the intense eyes of the French press and the worlds media watching, the cyclists will make sure that they go for a decent ride on the rest days, even if they are hurting, as a show of strength. They want to show their competition that their legs are fresh - even if the truth of the matter is quite the opposite.

A rest day on the 1930 Tour de France

 Also, there’s the matter of the media obligations for the jersey wearers. On a rest day it is expected that the current holders of the various jerseys will spend much of the day talking to sports journalists from all over the world. They are singled out as the Tour’s current leaders, and with that comes some responsibility - of course those responsibilities can be shirked, but cycling is a sport of tradition and to do so would be counter to the long-standing customs, and therefore, unsportsmanlike. The French press, in particular, can be ruthless when it comes to matters of tradition, and many a cyclist has been burned on the pages of L’Equipe, for acts even less trivial than ditching an interview.

These responsibilities are an unwelcome distraction from the tasks at hand on a rest day, ie. recovery, planning and rehabilitation. Therefore, it is not uncommon for cyclists to delay their attempts at taking control of the GC till after a rest day. Last year it was widely reported that Cadel was more than happy to have Voeckler retain the maillot jaune for this exact reason.    

But all of this is inconsequential, what really matters here is that we get a night off, and a well-earned chance to catch up on some sleep!

The Director Sportif

In honour of the Tour de France, I thought I'd publish some posts explaining some of the finer details of the Tour, this piece explains the integral role of the Director Sportif. 

Picture this hypothetical, Wiggins is leading the Tour de France by 35 seconds, followed closely behind by Nibali. It is stage 12, a medium mountain stage and the main players are at the head of the peloton. With about 40km’s to go, Wiggins gets a puncture and drops back to replace the wheel. The replacement takes some time and although he has two helpers to get him back in the mix, it takes a while to get back to the head of the peloton and he expels a lot of energy in doing so. Nibali sees this and goes on the attack on the Cote d’Ardoix, quickly opening up a sizable gap on the peloton. What does Wiggins do? Who makes the decision? The answer – the Director Sportif.

Sometimes also called the Sporting Manager, the Director Sportif (DS), is in charge of the team. They are the ones that will make all of the decisions surrounding the team, right from training techniques to tactical decisions on the road.

Much like a football coach on game day, all twenty-two DSs will sit down with their team prior to each stage and discuss the aim of the day. They will encourage and push their riders and they are usually master tactictions, using their intelligence and guile to out-manoeuvre their rivals. Many of the current DSs are former pro cyclists themselves, familiar with the mind games, the strategies and the inner workings of the peloton.

photo by roblisameehan

During the race the DSs will ride in the team car with the driver (who is usually another team official), and a team mechanic will be in the back. From the passenger seat of the team car the DSs use whatever means or technology is available to them to improve the positioning of their riders. They are in constant communication with their team, informing them of upcoming hazards, time gaps, terrain differences and mechanical issues. Perhaps most importantly, through the radio, they are able to make calculated decisions in crucial situations, like the scenario described above.

In the above hypothetical, the DS of Wiggins’ Team Sky, Sean Yates, an accomplished cyclist in his own right, would be on the radio to his men, instructing them on whether to chase down Nibali, or concede the time and make it up in a later stage.

Interestingly, a similar situation actually happened in last year’s Tour on stage 18, the 198.4 km grueling race from Pinerolo to Galibier - Serre Chevalier. Andy Schleck attacked early in the stage leaving the other contenders (primarily Evans) surprised and confused by how to counter this move. In hindsight it was a brilliant strategy. Schleck knew that the GC's would stick to his wheel like glue on the final climb - the only way to get a significant time gap was to roll the dice and go early. His gamble paid off and he took more than 2 minutes off Cadel. What was equally amazing about this stage was Cadels response. He looked at the others to help claw back the time Andy had taken (which was over 4 minutes at its peak), the other big names chose to be ticket collectors and suck his wheel. Cadel steeled his resolve and dragged the peloton along himself - bridging the gap by half and it was here that he ultimately saved his Tour. In this situation, Team BMC’s DS, John Lelangue, would have been in his teams ear directing them on exactly how to counter Schleck’s bold move.

Cadel Evans and John Lelangue

Another point to note is that teams will often have some designated ‘deputies’ on the road. The DS ultimately has control, but some teams with experienced racers on their books will designate these individuals as ‘Road Captains’. Guys like Stuart O’Grady and George Hincapie are given this type of responsibility as they command a lot of respect in the peloton and have a wealth of knowledge. George and Stuey may never win a Tour, but their instructions on the road will be worth their weight in gold for their teams GC contenders.

These ‘Road Captains’ will often have a strong bond with their respective GC champions, it is quite obvious that Hincapie and Cadel get along very well. Similarly, the DS’s also from strong bonds with their champion riders often partnering up for many years, creating a consistent winning combination. Like the legendary pair of Cyrille Guimard and Bernard Hinault, and Johan Bruyneel’s partnership with Lance Armstrong (all controvery aside!). Who know’s, If Cadel brings home the yellow again in 2012, the combination of Lelangue and Evans may be another for the pages of history! 

The Big Show

The Tour de France 2012 Edition. 

Well, it's winter here in Melbourne. It's cold, and wet, the days are short and getting up in the morning and biking to work is getting harder and harder. BUT - with July comes the Tour de France, so it's not all bad. Every year the Tour gets bigger and bigger and this year is no exception. The race for the yellow jersey is wide open, despite what the mainstream media says - it's not just between Cadel and Wiggins, there are quite a few who could take yellow. The course is well planned, with a good mix of sprint, medium and big mountain stages and time-trials. The only thing that is missing is the team time-trial. I love the TTT! Lets hope it comes back in 2013! So lets look at favourites for the green and yellow jerseys.

Yellow: The big favourite is the great saviour of British road racing, Bradley Wiggins. Wiggo has a bit too much hype surrounding him if you ask me. My money is still on Cadel to back up his 2011 win. He's experienced, he knows how to win, he's timed his peak form perfectly and his team is 100% dedicated. It'll take a lot to beat Cadel. Other possibilities are Hesjerdal, Menchov, Gesink, Rojers, Sanchez, Schleck (Frank) and Van Den Broeck. It really is wide open. My pick, apart from Cadel, is Vincenzo Nibali. He's a class act, and he'll be right there in the 3rd week, mark my words. And, if you want to lay a bet down, they're offerring some pretty good odds for Nibali too! 

Green: The battle for the Green jersey is going to be action packed this year. The last few years have been a bit stale. Last year it was the Cav show, he had it in the bag from week one. This year we have the biggest selection of world-class sprinters we've seen for many years. Some of the names include Cavendish, Petacchi, Goss, Greipel, Van Hummell, Renshaw, Farrar and Freire. We are going to see some of the best spinting we've seen in a long time - certainly the best this season, as the Tour is the first race we've seen a field like this come together. And don't forget the new wonderkid on the block, Peter Sagan, at 22 he's as green the lush grass of Normandy, and with his power it might just be green that he heads home with.

It's Giro Time!

For me, this year, the Giro has seemed quite tame. Yes, there have been some great breakaways, some spectacular sprint finishes and some gruelling mountain ascents, but there is something lacking. Compared to the drama of last year’s edition, any tour would seem tame, but for me, this edition has definitely been impacted by the lack of the really big names.

I love watching cycling races where all the big names are there, when everyone is racing to their full capacity, and the one that wins can truly call themselves the best. Unfortunately, because of the way the Pro Tour is set up, the winner of the Giro wont be able to say this. Everyone knows that the race would play out very differently if Andy Schleck was there, or Evans, Sanchez, Van Den Broeck, Wiggins, Nibali, or even Cobo.

The cycling diehards out there will tell me that this is the way it’s always been, and that no true Tour de France GC contender would dare taking a chance on the Giro, in fear of burning themselves out. I know this and I get it. I’m just saying that for the spectator, some of the thrill is lost when the big names are absent.   

I suppose this is one of the reasons why the Tour de France is the biggest race in the world – it attracts the best of the best.

Anyhow, we are now at the pointy end of the race. Cavendish has once again asserted his dominance and taken three stages (and possibly a forth tonight). I was ecstatic to see Gossy pick up a stage win, edging out some of the best sprinters in the world to claim the first Giro stage win for Green Edge. Current race leader, Rodriguez, has taken two dominating stage wins and we’ve seen some brilliant solo victories (in particular from Amador and Rabottini). Taylor Phinney’s domination of the stage one ITT was also a huge highlight, 8.7km’s in 10 minutes and 26 seconds – that’s an average speed of over 50 kmph!

Tonight we should see Cav take his fourth stage win on a relatively flat and short stage 18, and confirm his hold on the green jersey. We will then see the main protagonists of the GC fight it out in the ridiculously hard mountain stages 19 and 20. I never thought he would be able to do it again, but Basso is looking really strong and is a good chance to take his third Giro. Scarponi and Rodriguez are strong chances as well – though they will need to attack fiercely to take some time gaps that will see them safely through the final time trial.

My money? Well that’s on Hesjedal. The big Canadian has a fire in his eyes that screams of his desire to take the overall win. If he can minimise his losses in the next few days he should be able to take the win in the final time trial.  

Tour de France 2011 - post stage 21 gallery

Many thanks to Anthony Herrero, a friend of a friend who resides in Paris, for access to these wonderful pictures.

The final sprint down the Champs Elysees. Renshaw and Cavendish out in front.

El Pistolero! - Alberto Contador

Andre Greipel - The Gorilla! Winner of Stage 10

Andy Schleck - 2nd, again!

Frank Schleck - 3rd overall

Bjarne Riis - Director, Team Saxo Bank - Sungard

Cadel Evans and John Lelangue - Director, Team BMC

Damiano Cunego - 7th overall

George Hincapie - Legend!

HTC Highroad

Jens Voigt - Looking uncharacteristically serious!

Johnny Hoogerland - unexpected hero!

Mark Cavendish - Green Jersey Winner (Finally!)

Mark Renshaw - Lead-out man extraordinaire!

Phillipe Gilbert - rising star

Pierre Rolland - another rising star

Samuel Sanchez - 6th overall

Edvald Boasson Hagen - Winner of stages 6 and 17

Stuart O'Grady - Aussie cycling legend, super domestique

Thomas Voeckler - Yellow Jersey holder for 10 days and 4th overall

Thor Hushovd - 3 stage wins

Tony Martin - Winner of the final time-trial

Tyler Farrar - Winner stage 3

Le Tour - Week Three Wrap

Who looked good
What an emphatic win by Cadel Evans! Right from the Grand Depart he looked strong, you could see the focus in his eyes. This was a man that was always going to win the Tour in 2011, we just didn't all see it at first, but by the time he took to the podium for the start of the final time trial in Grenoble the writing was on the wall. His face said it all. This was the face of a man that was going to overcome any time advantage the Schleck boys had. He was a picture of focus and determination - and yet was also calm. He had that sense of control in the face of adversity that is the mark of champions - Armstrong had it in bucketloads. It was an historic win for Australia and the mainstream media have jumped all over it - some proclaiming that the win was the greatest Australian sporting achievement ever! I don't know about that - but it was pretty damn good. I can't wait for him to fly home and get all the hometown recognition he deserves! If there is a parade, I'll be there in the front row! The Schlecks also rode a brilliant race and looked great. One of them will win a Tour de France in the not-too-distant future I'm sure, they just need some work on their time-trialling. Others that looked good in the final week were Tom Danielson and Pierre Roland. Roland's win on the Alpe d'huez was awesome, and it seems he will be a yellow jersey contender in the years to come.

Who looked bad
He wasn't terrible, and fifth in the overall General Classification is definitely not a bad result, but Contador's loss of time in the Alps was a shock, especially when it seemed that he was getting over the sore knee and coming good. He lost significant time on Cadel and the Schlecks on stage 18 up the Col du Galibier. Perhaps he was affected by the win in the Giro - or perhaps we are now seeing the real Contador - the clean, human one. Who knows. Levi Leipheimer and Ivan Basso were two other stars that failed to impress. Basso finished eighth, again, not a bad result, but his race was a war of attrition. He held the others wheels and rarely attacked. Perhaps we are seeing the beginning of the end of a long and tumultuous career. As for Leipheimer, he had a bad crash on stage six, but never really featured after that. I expected a bit more from the 2011 runner-up of the Tour of California and the winner of the 2011 Tour de Suisse.

Best stage
The best stage in week three had to be stage 18, the 198.4 km grueling race from Pinerolo to Galibier - Serre Chevalier. Andy Schleck attacked early in the stage leaving the other contenders (primarily Evans) surprised and confused by how to counter this move. In hindsight it was a brilliant strategy. Schleck knew that the GC's would stick to his wheel like glue on the final climb - the only way to get a significant time gap was to roll the dice and go early. His gamble paid off and he took more than 2 minutes off Cadel. What was equally amazing about this stage was Cadels response. He looked at the others to help claw back the time Andy had taken (which was over 4 minutes at its peak), the others all chose to be ticket collectors and suck his wheel. Instead of complaining and getting angry, Cadel steeled himself and dragged the peloton along himself - bridging the gap by half and it was here that he ultimately saved his Tour. This resilience was the story of Cadels Tour de France, he simply fought and fought and fought, it was this dogged determination that won him the Tour.

Defining Moment
There were a few moments in week three that will be remembered and looked back on. As mentioned already, Andy's unanswered breakaway on stage 18, and Cadel's fight to claw back the time Andy had gained were both incredible junctures in the Tour, moments where, had things gone differently, the final result would have changed. Contador falling away on the Galibier was a moment because, if nothing else, it showed he was fallible. Cavendish's final win on the Champs Elysees was also a special moment. HTC Highroad rode the perfect race and lead-out train was textbook perfect. Cavendish finally got the Green Jersey and it was his 20th win in five tours; this has definitely cemented him in the record books. But the stand out moment for me was Cadel on the start line of the final Time Trial. This was a man possessed - a man completely focussed on what needed to happen, anything but a win was not an option.

And another thing...
- Well, it's over, we can all go back to regular sleeping hours, and personally, I'm looking forward to not stuffing my face with chips and Maltesers at 1am in an effort to stay awake!
- What was with Scott Sunderland's shirt on the final wrap-up of the race? It looked like it was made from my nannas curtains - check it out!
- Loving Robbie McEwans moniker for Andy and Frank Schleck - Frandy!
- As usual, top effort by SBS. Lets hope the Cadel-mania dies down and the commercial stations don't get any funny ideas about presenting the Tour in future - could you imagine Eddie Maguire hosting?
- Top job by Mike Tomolaris and Dave MacKenzie... great commentary.
- Twitter is brilliant during the Tour - especially the comments from DNF riders. Some of Vinokourov's comments were comedy gold!
- And the final word should go to this year's 'Lanterne Rouge', the last place of the Tour de France - the Italian Fabio Sabatini. Just to finish a race like the TdF is a massive achievement!

That's it! Did I get it right? What did you think of Cadel's win? Comment below!

Cadel Evans - 2011 Tour de France Winner!

Le Tour - Week Two Wrap

Who looks good
Well, after a hard week in the Pyrenees not a lot has changed. All of the main contenders are still there and, as I predicted in the week one wrap, Thomas Voeckler has hung on to the yellow jersey for more time than even he thought he would. So the pointy end of the field looks much the same, with Voeckler, Evans, Basso, Sanchez, Contador and the Schlecks all still in the mix, but the racing was anything but dull. Cavendish has shown he really is the fastest man on two wheels, picking up another two wins. His turn of speed in the last 200 meters is incredible. The sprint finish win by Greipel on stage 10 was also inspiring. The rouleur’s of the peloton (Rojas, Gilbert and Hushovd) all still look great and one of these may pick up a win on stage 16 or 17. There are some young guns like Tom Danielson and Peter Velits that are showing some great form – they will be ones to watch in future grand tours.

Who looks bad
I expected more from Nicholas Roche, Tony Martin and Levi Leipheimer in the past week, it was a little disappointing Roche and Martin couldn’t stay with the leaders up the Plateau de Beille. Though, I still think Roche and Martin have long, and prosperous careers ahead of them. Leipheimer is obviously still suffering after a few crashes early on. There are a few teams that have gone missing also, Team Sky have disappeared with the withdrawal of Wiggins, and Ag2r La Mondiale and Cofidis haven’t featured much, though David Moncoutie (Cofidis) is showing some great form.

Best stage
As Thor Hushovd is one of my favourite cyclists, I loved his emphatic stage win in Lourdes (Stage 13). He destroyed the field with raw power and took out a stage that, on paper, looked like it was meant for a climbing specialist. He continues his incredible season in the rainbow jersey. As far as simple viewing pleasure goes – you couldn’t have gone past Stage 14 up Plateau de Beille. This was a cracker of a finish, Andy Schleck kept attacking and Evans, Voekler, Basso and Contador had answers for him every time.

Defining moment
As well as being a great stage to watch, stage 13’s climb up Plateau de Beille was also my defining moment of the week. The fact that the field could not be split, despite the climbing of a peloton-destroying mountain, will have repercussions for the rest of the Tour. This may trigger a change in tactics from the major protagonists – they know now that short attacks aren’t splitting the field. If no one can pull off a long lung-destroying attack and nothing changes in the Alps, Evans will go into the final time trial in Genoble with a huge advantage. He is arguably the best time trialist of the group and he will easily be able to chip away at the lead that Voeckler and Frank Schleck have over him. It is looking good for Cuddles, the little Aussie battler!

And another thing…
- I know you should never laugh at a cyclist hitting the deck, but Jens Voigt’s two crashes within seconds of each other on Stage 14 was hilarious. He is such a colourful character and when he lost his shit after the second crash I couldn’t help but have a chuckle!
- My heart skips a beat everytime I see a rider pick up his bike and toss it to the side of the road like it was a piece of rubbish. As someone who races on a cheap(ish) aluminium Fuji I would give anything for one of those bikes! And if I had one I would definitely treat it with care – even if it was given to me for free!
- How good is Matty Keenan?! For those of you outside of Australia, he is our homegrown cycling commentator that is the warm-up act for British cycling legends Liggett and Sherwen. I say give him a whole stage to commentate, he’s great!

So have I got it right? What’s your predictions for the last week? Comment below…

Le Tour - Week One Wrap

Who looks good
I'll get to the the big names but a mention has to go to Thor Hushovd first off. What a cyclist he is. For seven stages he wore the yellow jersey proudly and with strength - hanging on to it despite most people believeing he would never survive when the roads starting heading upward. He has certainly done justice to the rainbows we wears accross his chest. Andy and Frank Schleck are in prime position to strike later this week, they both look fit and fresh and so far have been happy to sit back and let others sit in the limelight - a good tactic perhaps? Cadel Evans is having a dream start to the Tour, second in the TTT, a stage win in Mur-de-Bretagne, and this year he seems like a new man - calmer and more confident that in years passed. He looks dangerous. He will mark Voeckler in the next week and I expect that he will strike on some of the higher cols - perhaps the infamous Tormalet?! Thomas Voeckler also looks great - like Thor - he'll hang on to the jersey for some time I think. Also look out for Tony Martin and Nicholas Roche, both look good for podium positions.

Who looks bad
Well, this years tour has been sadly marred by terrible crashes and unfortunatly many of the big name GC riders have had an early exit. As Stuart O'Grady said, "it's Tour de Carnage". Bradley Wiggins, Jurgen Van Den Broeck, Alexandre Vinokourov and Christopher Horner are all out early. What's the reason for the crashes? Maybe there's too many riders, some of the skinny roads were perhaps a bad choice, and a nervous peloton are all possible answers, but one thing is for sure, changes need to be made to make the riders safer. No other sport makes the playing field so dangerous for its stars. And as for the car that knocked into Hoogerland and Flecha, I think this highlights some problems with the support cars, there are too many of them and they often drive irresponsibly around the peloton. I hope Christian Prudhomme, TDF Director, enacts some changes for the sake of safety for the future. Of the riders still in action, Cancellara has failed to impress so far, for someone so strong I would have expected more, and Contodor of course is looking terrible, though he has been involved in four or five crashes and is sufferring from a sore and swollen knee.

Best stage
This is a tough one! The first stage was great as a spectator, it was brilliant to finally see the 'Grand Depart' that everyone had been waiting for for so long, and the win by Gilbert was awesome - he showed that he is certainly one of the best Pro cyclists in 2011, adding to his already substantial list of wins for the year. The Team Time Trial was great also, I have to say that the TTT's are always my favourite stages. the speed is crazy, and to see BMC (a team not known for their time triallists) come in second was just an awesome effort. They showed what can be done when you step up to the plate and push that little bit harder. It also showed definitively that BMC are united in their goal of snatching the yellow jersey for Cadel. Nevertheless, the best stage for me so far has to go to stage four. As an Australian, I'm a big supporter of Evans and I think this could be his year, watching him stick it to the world's no. 1 rider, Contador, and beat him by a whisker was just awesome. I was yelling at my TV cheering him along, whilst sitting in the dark alone in my living room at 2 o'clock in the morning - luckily my fiance is a deep sleeper! And seeing Contador raise his arm in celebration only to realise he'd been beaten was hilarious!

Defining moment
The first week has been full of moments that will be discussed by journalists and cycling fans alike for some time. Cavendish's record breaking wins (he is now in the top 10 of most stage wins in the TDF), Hushovd's valiant defence of the yellow jersey, Voeckler's strong ride to put him in yellow by 1:49, the crash that saw Vinokourov break his leg (and most likly end his career) and Van Den Broeck break his shoulder and a few ribs, and the car that knocked over Hoogerland and Flecha - an accident that turns my stomach. The defining moment for me, though, was Contador losing 1:20 in stage one. After he was so dominant in the Giro, Contador was the undisputed favourite and for him to lose so much time (mainly as a result of a large crash) in the first stage was totally unexpected, and all of us still, 9 stages later, are wondering if he can possibly come back from this. We will see soon enough.

And another thing...
- Who the hell are Saur-Sojasun and Vacansoleil-DCM?! What happenned to Skil-Shimano and Geox? Too many French teams I say! Bring on GreenEdge Racing - the new Australian PRO team that is bidding for a Tour spot in 2012.
- Enough of the ads already! SBS, the Australian broadcaster that brings the Tour to Australia have a limited amount of advertising partners and the same ads being shown over and over again during the coverage is getting a bit old. I think I know the words to the IG Markets ad off by heart now, and I'm going to launch my shoe through the tv if I have to watch another stupid Skoda ad!
- Team Sky have got the award so far for the worst outfit, the black with the boring green, its ugly! But as far as ugly gear goes - that award has to go to Team Sky's Kask helmets! I've never heard of 'Kask' but I certainly wont be rushing to check out their cycling gear based on the look of their construction site'esque helmets!

I'd love to embed some tour pics here but haven't had any luck locating any royalty-free pics of the Tour. If you know how to find some please email me!

What's your defining moment, your best stage so far or best rider so far? Comment below!

The Tour de France - Bring It On!

The Tour de France begins this Saturday 2nd July, and I'm excited. I can tell others are excited too. There has been more people out on their bikes this week riding to work, the bike shops are a bit busier, and the bike blogs are a bit more frantic with talk of the tour. Truth is, I look forward to it every year, partly because of the obvious reasons, the intrigue of who will win and the enjoyment of cheering on the Aussies that have made the team selection. But also because it brightens up my winter! It may be sunny and perfect riding conditions in France and other northern hemisphere countries, but here in Melbourne it's cold in July and watching the Tour transports me to the roads of France where its sunny, there's beautiful scenery and delicious food. Watching the Tour in our winter gives me that little bit of extra motivation to get up and ride my bike in the chill of Melbourne's winter mornings.

Despite this, I do wish I was going... being there in France in July, riding the L'Etape and then following the race around is a dream that will be accomplished one day, but not this year. So watching the SBS (Australian Tour broadcaster) coverage it will have to be, and lucky for us they are showing every stage live again and will have update shows every morning and evening. Check out the coverage schedule here. The SBS Cycling Central team do a superb job every year of bringing Aussies the Tour and if I can't be in France - this is definitley the next best thing!

Here's some videos to get you in the mood

My picks for the top five

1. Alberto Contador

Trust me, I want to put Cadel in this spot but I just can't. Contador is too strong. I think he is in the form of his life and the recent Giro win wont hold him back in the slightest. To win the Tour you need to be able to attack in the mountains and no one can attack like Contador. His explosive speed on the mountains is currently matched by no one and he has the ability to obliterate the field with this weapon. In 2009 we saw this in Verbier where he attacked and took the yellow jersey from Nocentini (and Armstrong) on stage 15, we saw it on Mt Etna on stage 9 of this years Giro and we will see it again at this years Tour de France.

2. Cadel Evans

I really hope I'm wrong and Cadel does pull off the win, if I'm right this will be a heartbreaking third 2nd place in the tour General Classification (GC) for Cadel. But all the stars are aligning for him. He has had the perfect season so far, with two GC wins in smaller stage races and a second place in the Criterium du Dauphine. His team, BMC racing, is completely set up for him to get the GC win. He's got the strength and experience of George Hincapie and some really good climbers to help him in the mountains. Go Cadel!

3. Bradley Wiggins

Wiggins is looking really good to me. I think he has been threatening to take some really big wins and it seems his time has come. Like Cadel, Wiggins has had an excellent lead up to the Tour, opting to stay out of the Giro and do some altitude training instead. His win at the Dauphine shows he has got what it takes and his time trialling abilitiy concretes him as a serious Tour contender. The long time trial stage at the end of the Tour is somewhere he could take some serious time off the other Tour hopefulls.

4. Andy Schleck

Other cycling people (and people who actually know what they are talking about!) have got Andy higher up on the top five list but I just can't see him doing any better than fourth or maybe third this year. His season hasn't been the best so far, there have been no lead-up wins, like you would expect from a serious Tour contender. I know he has ability in the mountains but perhaps he lacks the strategic maturity one needs to succeed in a three week stage race. I guess I think he's a little overrated, am I wrong? Maybe.

5. Jurgen Van den Broeck

Van den Broeck is my smokey, my dark horse. I first noticed him when he was a domestique for Cadel when he rode for Silence Lotto. Jurgen showed signs back then that he was developing into a GC rider, he even rode away from Cadel at one point - putting his own desire over the teams ambitions. Love him or hate him, he is a classy rider with bucketloads of ability. He will be a force this year and for a few years yet.

So have I got it right? Comment below and let me know your top five.

Stages to watch for

Stage 2, the Team Time Trial, is going to determine the yellow jersey holder for the following few days, and the TTTs are always nail biting to watch. Expect some blistering speeds and some terrible crashes.

Stages 3-7, relatively flat stages that will be perfect for the sprint specialists, Cavendish will pick up a few wins here for sure.

Stage 12, Cugnaux - Luz-Ardiden, is the first high mountain stage, we'll
see some attacks here are the yellow jersey will possibly change hands. Will be an interesting stage for strategy - some teams may not want to take control of the yellow jersey this early - so there's a chance a mountain specialist who's no GC threat will come and take the win and the maillot jaune.

Stage 19, Modane Valfrejus - Alpe-d'Huez, will surely be the most exciting stage of the three weeks, if you stay up to watch any stage - make it this one! The Alpe-d'Huez is famous for its role in the history of the Tour de France and for good reason - it will break some riders and there will be attacks galore.

Stage 20, Genoble Individual Time Trial, is a very long time trial, and so gives the TT specialists an opportunity to shine. If Contador doesn't have enough of a lead by this stage he could lose the yellow jersey to Evans or Wiggans - both being superior time trialists.

Let the race begin!

The Tour de France is called the 'beautiful' race for good reason. The pageantry, the passion, the sufferring, and the incredible human achievement... it makes for fantastic TV! I have been reading Bill Stricklands novel on the comeback of Lance Armstrong and he sums up the attraction of the race really well. He explains that it is such a hard race that even the last place getter is celebrated. Not for coming in last but simply for hanging in and making it to the end. He is the Lanterne Rouge, the Red Lantern, and he should be proud. Bill writes:

In the Tour de France, you can't coast into last place; you have to tear yourself apart for the honour

That's what the Tour de France is about, human endurance matched by no other sport. I can't wait.