Pavé

Cobbles today at the Tour and is going to be hectic. Will put my money on Degenkolb. He is a beast of a man, the German gladiator.  He has form and of all today's favourites Valverde et al he is the best finisher. Interesting that he competed for yesterday's intermediate sprint which suggests he is gunning for the green jersey too.

In my opinion the Tour is the toughest sporting event out there. Even when the riders fall off and remove several layers of skin they continue with sun, sweat and rain topping up the pain thresholds for the 3 week slog. It is also super stressful as the riders are constantly on the move, dropping back to pick up water or looking after their leaders.

Yesterday's crash which took out Cancellara was spectacturly brutal (Sparticus would have been my favourite for todays pavé). A case in point is the Australian Lotto rider Adam Hansen who dislocated his shoulder only to soldier on to the end of the stage and that is why they are the toughest sportsman out there. Hansen is going for a record 12 Tours completed. An unbelievable stat and would be fitting if he were able to last the next 2.5 weeks.

My overaching memory from being on Mont Ventoux in 09 was not the ding dong between Schleck vs Contador up top or Lance vs Brad for the battle for that final podium place but rather the eery glazed look of the domestique's shot eyes staring right through me akin to a lost child crying out for help.

Evening:

Commute home saw me roll my dodgy left ankle (the one I had surgery on 1.5 years ago). Flipping marvelous.

Strava: http://strava.com/activities/341240830

On a brighter note my pick Degenkolb was second on today's stage to his countryman Tony Martin another sublime rider. After his near misses it was only right that tomorrow he will be in yellow. Another majestic stage.

Tomorrow the Ashes start. England's chances are exactly that, ashes.