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| Photo by Drew Withington used under Creative Commons Licence |
Things went according to plan for HTC Highroad's Manx Missile, Mark Cavendish, after another textbook example of team riding launched him over the line for his 17th stage win and his second of this Tour. Sadly, things didn't go so well for the UK's sky team with their leader, who has been on the form of his life, crashing out and others, like "G" (Geraint Thomas) losing over 3 minutes as they delayed to see if they could haul their fallen leader back into the battle. It wasn't to be, with Brad clearly in agony with what proved to be the cyclist's bane, a broken collar-bone. Afterwards Mark was giving his usual forthright opinions in an interview after the race, but looked pole-axed when he learned the news about Wiggins. "Oh sh*t!" he blurted before going on to say that he was "gutted" as British Champion,Wiggins had been on such good form and a genuine contender in the GC. After such promise in these early days of the 2011 Tour, today has been a terrible blow to the Sky team and to British fans of the Tour. We still have Millar high up in the GC and Cavendish on top stage-winning form but what Geraint can do to that three minutes I don't know. To add to his woes he has lost the White Jersey, at least for the moment.
Tomorrow the Tour begins proper for me as we see the beginnings of some decent climbs. The Tour really comes alive in the mountain stages of the Alps and Pyrenees and it is sad that we won't get to see what Brad could do there. A long way to go and lots more excitement to come though and if I stop being partisan for a moment and see things through, for example, through Norwegian eyes things are looking very good at present with Hushovd still in yellow and "Wonderful, wonderful" Boasson Hagen picking up a popular stage win yesterday.
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