Cheer up Cadel, there's always next year...

The Bees in The Wall

“It is by riding a bicycle that you learn the contours of a country best, since you have to sweat up the hills and coast down them. Thus you remember them as they actually are."
Ernest Hemingway

And most will remember Sunday 27th July 2008 for the perspiration they shed in the name of chain reaction, chutspa and charity.

Over 5,000 riders woke to flat, clear blue skies and made the trip to the start line at London's Picketts Lock under an already blossoming scorcher. NÖ Endeavour was among them, happy to add our wheels to the swelling ranks of the expectant car parks, as the kaleidoscopic spectacle of an official bike event formed for the off. This particular event would be in aid of Breakthrough Breast Cancer, the UK's leading charity committed to fighting breast cancer.

Pausing to absorb the moment, it was clear that this event had a very wide ranging appeal to those in possession of a bike, and probably resident in the Capital. We had lycra-clad club riders, proudly wheeling their carbon fibre steeds through the throng. Then there were the variant charges of the MTB jockey - some all chrome and chaos, others muddy and misshapen. Sympathetic to this melange of mechanisation was the variety of shapes and sizes that bike riders present themselves. The car park at Picketts Lock was not a place of modesty. We were gathered for one cause, and modish protocol was most often the loser.

Many were registering at the information point. Others were taking on fluids. Energy bar wrappers peppered the tarmac. It was already hot, and over beyond the start line we saw those making an early break for glory. Zeroing our handlebar-mounted computers we exchanged a registration card for an extended route map and then took the sharp right turn to begin the day.

With few cars to bother the throng, it was a gloriously tranquil glide out of North London. And already a certain cohesive solidarity was evident. Although individually unique, we rode as one. This was not intended as a race, more a drive. And it was interesting to observe the lighthearted banter between groups, something which would eventually evaporate, as the sun peaked and the energy levels dropped.

It soon became apparent that the handy map we were given on departure would not be needed. The marshaling and signage for this ride was more than adequate. And you rapidly grew attuned to the position and direction of the fluorescent arrows highlighting the well-researched lines that we cut through glorious English countryside.

Such a route we would probably not have made ourselves, and the aptitude of the marshals, on the whole, meant a steady cadence was achievable. And with it the glowing sensation that each and every one of us, although soaked from effort, were in effect experiencing a privileged moment. The day was a rare one indeed - thousands of fellow riders, the sun on our backs, and the sheer opulence of clear roads, leafy lanes and a Sunday in heaven. Often we forget just how beautiful the English countryside can be.

So we sweated up many a hill. Cut a dash down a few too. Duelled when we felt the need, and cruised when the vista was one to absorb. Flat tyres abounded, pit stops prevailed, and all the time a certain esprit de corps won through. The refreshment areas were all well placed. Some testing the resolve to breaking - dripping with sweat, dry of throat, and a pullover by the Nags Head at Hadharm Ford or The Brewery Tap at Furneaux Pelham or The Bull at Langely. Such temptations punctuated the journey. But you had many a mile to go. So a banana and glucose sufficed. It was Eve and her apple, the Saharan cyclist and his pint. But we resisted, right up to The Bees in the Wall at Whittleford. For with around 16 kilometres to go, and a feeling of achievement tripping off the bike computer's stats a cool beer was just reward. We were ready to head into Cambridge.

On what was billed as a flat ride, a few gentle climbs were evident. At which some casualties dismounted to nurse tired limbs to more sympathetic terrain. And as we span a line through the throng you could identify the vehicles which might not see the spires - some squeaked, some squealed and the odd bike even crunched like a diseased lawn mower. If only their enthusiasm for this event had rubbed off on some basic maintenance. Perhaps some are still out there, in the dark, searching down those fluorescent arrows.

And so we entered Cambridge itself, negotiated some traffic signals, and other modes of transport, before opening onto Midsummer Green, cutting a left onto the straw-carpeted runway to the finish line and a free bottle of water courtesy of Cambridge Building Society - a financial institution we hoped had contributed a very large sum indeed to Breakthrough in order to secure their somewhat capricious grasp at a branding opportunity.

The massed sense of achievement was palatable. Or was that just the salty mask of perspiration we were all wearing? Overall this was an incredibly well-oiled event. And as far as we know no serious accidents occurred. And with the following days primed for all the finishers to harness the energy they experienced when crossing that line and convert it into saturated sponsorship forms, lets hope the power of the bicycle, and all our single visions on that day can translate into helping Breakthrough Breast Cancer achieve theirs - to work for a future free from the fear of breast cancer.

TdF - Stage 21 - La victoria de la paciencia

So states the headline from El País. And Carlos Sastre was indeed patient. Until the bravado attack which saw him surge clear over the Alpe d'Huez.

So Le Tour de France 2008 is over.

1. Carlos Sastre (ESP) CSC - 3,559.5km in 87h52’52"
2. Cadel Evans (AUS) SIL at 58"
3. Bernhard Kohl (AUT) GST at 1’13"
4. Denis Menchov (RUS) RAB at 2’10"
5. Christian Vande Velde (USA) TSL at 3’05"
6. Frank Schleck (LUX) CSC at 4’28"
7. Samuel Sanchez (ESP) EUS at 6’25"
8. Kim Kirchen (LUX) THR at 6’55"
9. Alejandro Valverde (ESP) GCE at 7’12"
10. Tadej Valjavec (SLO) ALM at 9’05"

Who'd have predicted those results three weeks ago?

And after, in what has to be one of the biggest TdF understatements ever, the winner of the 95th Tour Carlos Sastre said "Today was a really nice day today."

We had drama, scandal, new names for the future and a tough new stance on doping starting to cleanse the system. This is a contest like no other. And few words can sum up its spectacle. So here are some pictures...

TdF - Stage 20 - Time runs out for Evans

“The yellow jersey makes you ride like two men.” One of the more famous Liggettisms could have not been more appropriate for Stage 20's outcome.

Cadel Evans was expected to erase the one minute thirty four second lead that Sastre had on him, and then cruise through the following day to take yellow in Paris. That didn't happen.

Here is a good example for those unfamiliar with the machinations that occur throughout the Tour, usually all missed by the casual observer. Because Evans probably would have had that victory if it weren't for some of the other names who ride for CSC-Saxo Bank. They knew Evans had the edge over their man Sastre when it came down to a time trial. So in the stages leading up to it they kept the pace up, pulled the peloton through at speed, and sucked away Evan's reserves.

In Sastre's words "It was impossible to do this without them. It is extremely motivating to know that all the riders were ready to be at my service. When I started today I wanted to do a good time trial but if I was able to defend my yellow jersey today it was because of three factors: my mind, my team, my form."

So he rode like two men. Better than expected. And came home 12th, conceding only 29 seconds of his lead. Evans finished seventh, and with it concluded that for the second successive year he would be runner up in The Tour de France, to a Spaniard!

There was almost no surprise in the surprise that Stefan Schumacher (remember him from the Cholet time trial?) took the honours in Saint-Amand-Montrond, with an average speed for the stage of 49.817km/h. But will his Gerolsteiner team be around for TdF 2009?

And so, NÖ Endeavour would like to take a brief moment to reflect on a post we wrote a little while back:

With Spain scooping tournament wins from Wimbledon to Euro 2008... can their man Carlos Sastre add to a burgeoning gabinete del trofeo?

Time to give the carpintero a call.

Cameron's limp salad day

Conservative leader David Cameron popped into a Tesco store yesterday to pick up "a few bits of salad". And when he came out his old friend was gone.

Its a sad day when your bike is stolen. "If anyone has seen this bicycle, I would like it back," he said afterwards.

A spokesman for Tesco said: "We are very sorry that David's bike was stolen from outside our store.

"David's setting a great example to everyone by using his bike to get around so we'll make a donation to bicycling charity Sustrans that might help ease his loss."

Lettuce hope his friend returns.

Taking the lawn into your own hands

Could be useful to mow down the opposition...

Tdf - Stage 19 - It's a bit Chav!

He's waited a long time... the Tour's perennial nearly man. Well today we can celebrate as Frenchman Sylvain Chavanel finally won a well deserved stage of Le Tour de France.

Leading through the flamme rouge, he sprinted clear in the last 200 metres to beat Jeremy Roy, celebrating with tears of delight.

So what of tomorrow's 53km time trial from Cérilly to Saint-Amand-Montrond...

Sastre has one minute twenty four seconds to his advantage. But he's not a known fast man. Schleck, Kohl and Evans lie in waiting. The Spaniard will be last out of the blocks. He'll know what he has to do, and course feedback from team member Fabian Cancellara could prove vital.

Tomorrow afternoon we should know the winner of this year's Tour. Who's your Euro on?

Summer of Lube

Forget '67, Boris tells us its time for The Summer of Cycling...

“While there’s already been a healthy increase in the number of people on bikes, half of Londoners who own a bike aren’t using them regularly, and over a million Londoners are still missing out on the benefits of cycling. I’m challenging all Londoners who have bicycles languishing in the shed or garage, to dig them out, dust off the cobwebs, and re-acquaint themselves with one of the most glorious ways of getting about."

And to hasten the good vibrations the Mayor and TfL are investing a further £55 million in cycling this year, apparently. So lets hope that tangled wreck of steel and rubber you'll release onto the streets this summer will be cruising along a glorious psychedelic green carpeted causeway of pleasure (as opposed to the ubiquitous potholed minefields known as bike lanes!).

Sorry. We didn't want to put a heavy downer on the vibes...

Sky Sports have also got in on the act, as last year's Freewheel sponsors Hovis are now toast. 2007 saw 38,000 Freewheelers descend on the London streets. A great day out it was too. You can sign up for this year's Freewheel HERE. The event takes place on 21st September.

But before that we will have the wonderful spectacle of the Grand Depart of the Tour of Britain. Ten laps of a totally new course will take place on 7th September. Worth getting a good spot to watch the mayhem unfold.

So there ya go all you lovely people.. saddle up and get with the vibe!

Could this spell the end for PowerBars?

Your clothes you can replace

I met Mark at the top of Cranley Gardens - a great long, relentless bend of a slope, which is worth doing every now and then, just to see how few gear changes you can get away with.

Mark was a pedestrian, and as I pulled over at the conclusion - where Cranley Gardens meets Muswell Hill Road, he joined me kerbside, and mentioned he had done this route recently on his bike, stopping four times mind.

Then he proceeded to tell me what had happened on the opposite corner of the road, a few weeks back.

Taking the bend, as it carves left and sets you up for a rapid decent, Mark managed to clip the kerb and lose total control of his bike. Having been felled a few times I remembered the adrenaline surge that your body automatically prescribes, and how that masks the actual 'damage' for a while. Marks spill was a lot worse than any of mine. He showed me the crescent-shaped scar on the back of his head, where medics had 'glued' his skull back together. And then he felt he needed to tell me the cost of the helmet he was wearing at the time - £12.99. It had been purchased from Woolworths.

Another item Mark had been wearing that day was a fluorescent bib, which he tells me he was particularly, and literally, attached to. And due to the soporific haze of a post-accident adrenaline surge he recalled informing the attendant ambulance staff that he was concerned he had ruined it. The response still sits with me now - "Your clothes you can replace. Your life you can't".

Before we parted Mark informed me he intended to pay as much as £30 for his next helmet. He then asked me how much I paid for mine - a Catlike Kompact Pro.

And as we parted, it made we wonder, on the grand scale of things, what price do you put on your head?

TdF - Stage 18 - Another day on the farm

Frank Schleck and Carlos Sastre discuss the minutae of the perfect paella, while up ahead Marcus Burghardt of Team Columbia steals a victory over Carlos Barredo.

What will tomorrow bring? Will Cadel Evans get a blow out on Saturday's time trial? Will a stray dog end his dream? Will an overkeen spectator accidentally total him with a giant foam hand?...

"I don't want to think about the time trial. I just want to enjoy spending each day in the yellow jersey," said Sastre today. Well he ought to wear it to bed tonight. As tomorrow might be the last day the yellow is his preserve.

TdF - Stage 17 - Sassy Sastre Strikes

Has the NÖ Crystal Ball seen the Seine? Our mention of the Spaniard Carlos Sastre seems to have injected some spiced chorizo into those tired limbs. On the final Alpine Stage, a 210k rollercoaster from Embrun to L'Alpe d'Huez, Sastre peeled away from the chasers to end the day in yellow, with a one minute 24 second sliver of manchego separating him from CSC team-mate Frank Schleck.

Cadel Evans stuck to his task today. Denis Menchov could still be a threat. And with two relatively flat stages until Saturday's time trial it looks like someone might have to 'do a Vino' to break the Australian. But this is the Tour.. anything could happen...

"It's just pedalling."

Pedalling it may be, but in the breakneck world of BMX riding, there's those that pedal and there's Shanaze Reade. Her nickname 'Speedy Ready' is well deserved.

She bought her first BMX bike for the princley sum of £1, won her first European Junior BMX racing at the tender age of 11, became World Under 18 Champion at 15, and in 2006 was British National No.1 in 19 & Over Elite Men after racing the National series with the men all year. Now 19, Reade has her sights firmly fixed on Beijing as BMX Racing enters its first ever Olympics. And anyone who is anyone in her sport firmly believes Reade's name is already etched on that gold. Olympic track champion Chris Hoy, a convert from BMX, states "If I was going to put my mortgage on anyone winning the gold medal, it would be Shanaze."

All bodes well for Beijing, as she has already come away from that principal with a title - having earlier this year blitzed a strong field by a significant margin to take the 2008 Women's World Championship.

“Before I started that race in Beijing, I laughed and said to myself ‘this is mine’ and became like a robot. It is really bizarre how I do it but I just think ‘this is why you’re here, this is what it is about, this is what you are going to do’."



Known for her phenomenal power it wasn't long before Reade was noticed by Team GB and its key visionary and supremo Dave Brailsford. Initially swapping the bumps and bends of a BMX track for the smooth circuit of the velodrome purely as part of her fitness regime, Reade was fast tracked into a pairing with Victoria Pendelton. And in only her second track race ever, this duo scooped gold at the 2007 UCI Track World Championships, repeating the feat earlier this year in Manchester.

So when Reade decides to retire her Koxx Shazam (probably after securing gold in London 2012), a nice carbon fibre number awaits for velodrome glories to come. And if track racing ever becomes mixed... Speedy Ready and Canonball Cavendish... now there's a combo!

Apparently the ramp on the Beijing BMX track is huge. Its going to have to be!

TdF - Stage 16 - A wrestle for Cyril Dessel

Frenchman Cyril Dessel rolled over La Bonette (all 2,802 metres of it!) and managed to outstrip Yaroslav Popovych for his first ever Tour de France Stage win. The first man over Le Cime de la Bonette-Restfond was in fact South Africa's John-Lee Augustyn, but his skills at climbing were not matched by his aptitude for descents - soon losing control of his bike, completing the day some five-and-a-half minutes behind Dessel.

On a day when we expected CSC to rally around their man Schleck and put some distance between him and Cadel Evans, we would summise the mountains won on points.

So no change at the top, and with a potentially conclusive 53km time trial looming on Stage 20, time is running out for Schleck et al to create a buffer against Evan's proven racing acumen over the shorter distance.

With Spain scooping tournament wins from Wimbledon to Euro 2008... can their man Carlos Sastre add to a burgeoning gabinete del trofeo?

NÖ hits the waves

An addendum to the post below, today NÖ Endeavour was invited for a brief soundbite by BBC Radio Cambridgeshire in relation to the London to Cambridge ride which takes part this Sunday. Naturally we obliged - on air briefly spreading the word for Breakthrough Breast Cancer, as well as inadvertently promoting a spread of an altogether different kind when we plugged the long-distance-cyclist's chum - Chamois Butt'r.

Its not too late to get onboard for Sunday. Which looks like it might be a hot one. So take plenty of fluids and get those sponsorship forms into circulation! Lets make bike power fuel change...

When logic hurts

Many will not be surprised to hear that Mark Cavendish has pulled out of The Tour. Yet British cycle fans would dearly have wanted to see him complete the race. And the man himself - must have spent many a moment itching that muscle that wanted to go the distance.

At the tender age of 23 he's already etched his name in the record books. And with Beijing looming, further accolades are sure to follow. So the remaining speed merchants will breathe a sigh of relief, and that final Avenue des Champs-Élysées dash will be the poorer for his absence.

London to Cambridge Charity Ride

This Sunday, 27th July, we'll be heading out north, among the many riding the 50+ miles from London to Midsummer Common in Cambridge. All efforts will be directed to raising funds for Breakthrough Breast Cancer - the UK's leading charity committed to fighting breast cancer through research, campaigning and education.

And I personally will be dedicating my ride to my mother, who recently underwent surgery to keep some potentially risky cells at bay. She showed great spirit and strength, and I hope to do the same.

Please visit the charity site and make a donation. In the time it takes to prep your bike for a trip you can get online and help make Breakthrough Breast Cancer's vision a reality - to work for a future free from the fear of breast cancer.

TdF - Stage 15 - Road Check Schleck

These riders from Luxembourg are like buses. You wait fifty years for one to pull on the yellow jersey... then two come along at once.

Picking up where fellow countryman Kim Kirchen left off, CSC's Frank Schleck attacked race leader Cadel Evans in the final kilometre ending the day with a yellow jersey and a 7 second lead over Kohl, Evans dropping to third, a further second down.

Below them, Menchov, Vandevelde and Sastre all look dangerously poised.

Further proof that Frank Schleck is a high-flyer - check this footage from Stage 5 of The Tour de Suisse earlier this year...

TdF - Stage 14 - Oscar's no Grouch

Oscar Freire endorsed his claim for the green glory of the Tours highest points scorer.

It was a big ask for Mark Cavendish to secure a unique Tour hat trick. And as expected his toils began to take their the toll on the final climb of the day the Col de L'Orme. It was a strange picture - the final sprint, without the one man who truly embodies the word. Still he insists the Tour for him is now a 'day-at-a-time' situation, but with the Alps beckoning, it must be only a matter of time before he heads out East.

So Freire pipped Colombian Leonardo Duque of Cofidis, with German Erik Zabel coming third for Milram. Evans holds onto the yellow jersey, but with three tough days ahead, don't be surprised to see a new hopeful exit the Alps with his proxy crown held high.

With the speedsters having their day, now the climbers legs will turn up the heat.

TdF - Stage 13 - Cav gets the cream in Nîmes

Lucky number 13? Nothing of the sort. This man has worked hard to get where he is today - the best sprinter in the world. And with 100 metres to go on Stage 13 - Narbonne to Nîmes, Robbie McEwan of Silence-Lotto and Agritubel's Roman Feillu were reduced to finely buttered Brioche.

Back to back victories for Mark Cavendish, his fourth overall... this is what the Tour wants. This is what the Tour needs - credible, clean competitors.

"Cycling's a passion, and maybe people who resort to doping don't have the same passion as me."
Mark Cavendish

TdF - Stage 12 - dessert anyone?

We needed something special to take away the bitter taste from yet another EPO debacle. And who better to serve it than our own flambée maestro Mr Mark Cavendish. And in the process the Isle of Man cyclist made history - becoming the first Briton to win three stages of the same Tour de France.

On a flat transitional stage between the Pyrenees and the Alps the pace throughout was bright and almost unrelenting. And as it came down to the wire Team Columbia had to work overtime to get their man into contention. And once he gets a sniff of that line...

Not much change at the top. Evans retains yellow.

So we should all raise a glass to the fastest man on two wheels. And will someone please now wrap him in cottonwool until Beijing!

Ricco roasted!

We don't like to say 'We told you so'. But way back in June we posted THIS little teaser. And therein our NÖstradamus moment becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy, as this year's Tour, whatever the actual racing outcome, may be primarily remembered for an acronym - EPO.

After our report last night, news today of yet another positive test for the banned blood booster erythropoietin. And this time the culprit is Saunier Duval's Riccardo Ricco. The 24-year-old hotshot had already won two mountain stages, and was nicely placed to achieve a top place to add to his Giro successes earlier this year. Clearly our comment that he was one to watch was taken very literally by the French police.

At his age he may yet work through a ban and return to the Tour. But for veterans such as fellow Saunier Duval member Leonardo Piepoli, who won Stage 10, the withdrawal of the entire team will leave a bitter taste. Team spokesman Matxin Fernandez said "We can't act as though nothing has happened, we have to accept the reality."

Ricco may dress like Brains from Thunderbirds, but the pastiche is clearly just a cosmetic one! As with some semblance of intelligence he may not of found his name amongst the shamed role call of Le Tour de France 2008.

TdF - Stage 11 - positivo nervado

Norway's Kurt-Asle Arvesen hit the gas to steal Stage 11 from Martin Elmiger and Alessandro Ballan.

"I was actually expecting someone to pass me at the finish line but in the end no-one came." Well, they came so very close.

Someone turned the heat up after Stage 10. And Team Barloworld are feeling it more than most. As the race progressed today they lost Felix Cardenas and Paolo Longo Borghini, leaving them with just five riders. But were their departures expediated by more than physical failings? For another shadow has fallen on the Tour, within it the exit of their team mate Moises Duenas Nevado, who tested positive after the time trial in Cholet, for EPO.

So no great impact on the current status quo of the leading contenders. But without doubt another tremour under the foundations of Le Tour de France. With just over half of this year's competition completed, another doping rumble could bring the maison down...

Col du Katherine

Forget Tourmalet. Sunday's London Bikeathon had this moment of ascension for all those who rode out East. Multi-chicanery at St Katherines Dock. And a timely test for one's velo virtuosity!

Image courtesy of Velochick

TdF - Stage 10 - Evans above!

TdF Fact: In the three Tours to have stages that finished at the Hautacam, the rider who emerged from the punishing 14.4km ascent in the yellow jersey kept it all the way to the finish in Paris: Miguel Indurain in 1994, Bjarne Riis in 1996, and Lance Armstrong in 2004.
[fact courtesy of BBC Sport].


Yesterday Cadel Evans thought his Tour was over. Today, after hauling his battered body up and over the Hautacam, it may have only just started. Although the Stage was taken by Leonardo Piepoli of Saunier Duval, Evans secured eigth spot, with potential threat Frank Schleck running in third, to secure second place overall by just a single second. The competition is shining that golden yellow hue over a number of riders. Now its just who wants it the most. And with only a single minute separating the top 5, pre-tour favourite Alejandro Valverde nearly five minutes off the top... tomorrow's rest day will be a welcome break to all. At the half way point.. who's your Euro on now?

Overall standings (after 10 stages):

1. Cadel Evans (Aus/Silence-Lotto) 42 hours, 29 minutes, 9 seconds.
2. Frank Schleck (Lux/Team CSC) :01.
3. Christian Vande Velde (US) Garmin Chipotle, :38.
4. Bernhard Kohl (Aut/Gerolsteiner) :46.
5. Denis Menchov (Rus/Rabobank) :57.

A Sunday in heaven

Sore knees. And bruised palms. Not to mention a stiff neck and goggle tan marks. But all well worth it.

No Endeavour was amongst the 6,000 bikes taking part in The London Bikeathon 2008. Naturally we worked our way around the Challenge Ride - all 52 miles, starting out West - with the glorious green of Richmond Park (pausing at one point to allow a proud Stag to cross into some woods), then coursing back into the mayhem of inner London through to the industria of the East End's Docklands and its environs.

A wonderful day. Blue skies all the while. And a real euphoric vibe built on purpose - as we all spun our wheels in the name of charity and Leukaemia research.

And to that end NÖ Endeavour would like to thank all those officers and volunteers who made the event run so smoothly. From sign posters, to marshals, to police patrols, to St Johns Ambulance riders, to feeding station servers... a well-lubed event if ever there was.

We'll proudly hang our medal on the NÖ Endeavour clothes hook, and raise a glass to a job well done.

NB
One minor gripe - an interesting opportunity arises from such mass rides to observe the road behaviour of the general biking populace. And in summary, it would seem there is much work to be done. Many a red light was run - with the chief culprits being young bucks on MTBs, plus the occasional lycra clad porpoise who thinks he's Tom Boonen. We witnessed riders not grasping the etiquette of travelling single file (often three or four abreast). And a void to the basic understanding of road markings. If London is to support its critical mass of riders, and indeed swell the ranks of two-wheeled road users some education initiative is vital.

Le Col du Tourmalet

When introduced to the Tour in 1910 one of the riders was heard to shout at some officials as he passed them "Assassins!" Or maybe that's an urban myth. And what he actually said was "Aspirins!"
All we know is at over 2,100 metres Le Col du Tourmalet presents many a headache.

TdF - Stage 9 - Ricco rides out

Italy's Riccardo Ricco joined Great Britain's Mark Cavendish as the Tour's double-Stage winners. This victory underlined his abilities as both a sprinter and a climber.

Blitzing the field in the first day in The Pyrenees he finished over a minute clear of the peloton. And reinforced popular belief that he is certainly one to watch for the future. In his own words "My particular way of attacking is the only thing I can do to win so I went on the attack today."

Overall Kim Kirchen remains firmly at the helm, and despite a bad crash Cadel Evans still shadows the Team Columbia rider in second. Millar slips out of contention to 25th place. And with tomorrow's Stage 10 boasting the super-category Col du Tourmalet, a strong show from any of the leading contenders could put them in an unbeatable position for the remainder of the Tour.

TdF - Stage 8 - Dish of the day

A mass of riders. Stage closing. One kilometre to go... sound familiar? Then the name of Mark Cavendish will offer the same deja vu conclusion.

He's making a habit of this. And despite losing his lead-man on the last bend, the remainder of Team Columbia rallied to find Cavendish the necessary gap for his extraordinary sprinting ability to exploit. The general condition of the riders crossing the line after him make strong visual testament to the appalling conditions experienced on a tough, wet and windy stage 8.

TdF - Stage 7 - Sanchez seizes seven

Spain's Luis-Leon Sanchez started the day in 88th position. And with a chess match battle playing out with riders 80 places above him, he stole the day eclipsing all contenders with a break at 5km to go and a steep descent into Aurillac.

Confident overall leader Kim Kirchen retains yellow, with Stefan Schumacher putting in a strong finish to take a grip of second place. Earlier in the race our prediction for explosions from David Millar were taken a little too literally when a worthy assault on the category four climb at Villedieu was partly eradicated by a puncture forcing him to change bikes. He drops to seventh.

Overall standings (after seven stages):

1. Kim Kirchen (Luxembourg / Columbia) 28 hrs 23 mins 40 secs
2. Cadel Evans (Australia / Silence - Lotto) +6 secs
3. Stefan Schumacher (Germany / Gerolsteiner) +16
4. Christian Vandevelde (U.S. / Garmin - Chipotle) +44
5. Denis Menchov (Russia / Rabobank) +1:03.
6. Alejandro Valverde (Spain / Caisse d'Epargne) +1:12.
7. David Millar (Britain / Garmin - Chipotle) +1:14.
8. Stijn Devolder (Belgium / Quick-Step) +1:21.
9. Oscar Pereiro (Spain / Caisse d'Epargne) same time
10. Thomas Lovkvist (Sweden / Columbia) Same time

Stage 8 presents a last opportunity for the likes of Mark Cavendish, before the Tour heads up into the Pyrenees.

"There are not just traces of EPO, there is EPO."

So said France's head of the Anti-Doping Agency (AFLD) as Liquigas member Manuel Beltran tested positive for EPO in his urine 'A' sample taken after the first stage - Brest to Plumelec, on Saturday 5 July. Having already produced an anomalous result from a pre-Tour test, the Spaniard may now face expulsion. And with last year's exit by Cofidis after Cristian Moreni tested positive for testosterone, as well as Astana being omitted this year, will the entire Liquigas team now follow suit?

TdF - Stage 6 - its R-R-Ricky R-R-Ricco!

It was fifty years ago when one Charly Gaul pulled on a tight yellow jersey and put Luxembourg on the Tour de France map. And in all the intervening years no other rider from Luxembourg has matched him. Until yesterday.

In what turned out to be a fraught day six, Schumacher crashed with only a kilometre to go, Italian Riccardo Ricco took the honours in Super-Besse and Kim Kirchen moved to first place overall, reaching back over half a century to join his fellow countryman Charly Gaul.

In the process we have another new mannequin for the maillot jaune. And the competition is truly hotting up. Several riders are all potential winners. And with some tough climbs coming up it will be fascinating to see who has kept their powder dry. Although Millar has dropped to fifth, expect a few explosions...

Worth noting - although later removed by his team, Michael Rasmussen did not show until Stage 9 last year. So who is your euro on now?
Is Charly Gaul's successor the man for 2008? Or will our David Millar turn up the heat?...

TdF - Stage 5 - 'little fat kid' wins!

The tarmac on Avenue de la Châtre is just about cooled off now.

He promised. And unlike most British sportsmen exuding pre-competition bravado - He delivered. 23 year-old Mark Cavendish of Team Columbia finally found a clear path to the line. And after 145 relatively flat miles he took them all on, Hunter, Zabel, Freire, Hushovd, Cooke, and showed in no uncertain terms why he is considered the fastest man in cycling.

Cavendish had already illustrated his current form in this year's Giro, but as he stated "People always say, 'He's got some scalps, beaten some good people'...but unless you've won a Tour stage you can't count yourself a great sprinter."

Watch the race unfold HERE

Rod Ellingworth, co-creator of The British Under-23 Academy must be a proud man, having witnessed one of their recent products fulfill its potential. And in Team Columbia Cavendish has a host of good people around him, most notably Kim Kirchen currently residing in second place overall, below German Stefan Schumacher. And equal on time with Kirchen is David Millar, so often our footnote. But with today's Stage 6 - Aigurande to Super-Besse offering some Cat 4 and 2 climbs, maybe Millar can climb from the foot to the peak...

A NÖ Bell prize

NÖ Endeavour believes current regulations dictate that every bicycle sold in Britain has to be fitted with a bell, but there is no obligation for the rider to keep the bell after purchase.
Up until 1983 it was compulsory for every point of sale bike to have a bell.

The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents said that there was a culture among some retailers of telling customers that they are fitting bells only under duress. A spokesman cited a recent purchase by its head of road safety as an example of bad practice. “The shopkeeper said: ‘I have got to fit a bell to your bike, but it’s up to you whether you want me to tighten the nuts.’.”

Back in 2006 the Government suggested fining cyclists who rode without a bell. The idea was shelved after it was widely ridiculed. Stephen Ladyman, then Transport Minister, proposed that riders caught without a bell should receive on-the-spot fines of up to £2,500 or two years in jail. Graeme Obree, the world record-holding cyclist, lambasted the idea as “a pointless exercise in red tape”.

When you consider that an offender might get less for possessing a knife, do the police really need to 'take their eye off the ball, and place it on your bell?' We personally have experienced no such demands when purchasing our wheels. It could be argued that any 'new' cyclist exiting a shop with loose nuts will inevitably, after a good few months in the saddle have them tightened by the predetermined wheels of fortune!

TdF - Stage 4 - Checkpoint Cholet

Has the 2008 Tour thrown up its first doping scandal?

The 29.5km time trial circuit around Cholet had all eyes on CSC rider Fabian Cancellara, who was overwhelming favourite for this event. His time was to be the benchmark, the level to aspire to, the time to beat. He finished fifth.

But the greater shock was the difference between his time and that of stage winner Stefan Schumacher -
33 seconds!

The Gerolsteiner team leader was the only rider in the time trial to dip below 36 minutes. And his complete obliteration of a quality field has raised many an eyebrow. Peaking back over Schumacher's recent career throws up an interesting incident almost mirroring that of Tom Boonen, who was ejected from this year's Tour. Testing after a car crash last September found him over the limit for alcohol but also positive for amphetamines. He has pleaded ignorance on how the substance got into his bloodstream. And because the testing was performed by the police, as opposed to cycling's anti-doping squad Schumacher rides on.

After this event Gerolsteiner, a German mineral water company, said it would not renew its team sponsorship deal, instead switching focus to 'natural non-alcoholic beverages', citing that cycling sports were devalued as a communication platform.

On a more positive note - David Millar rode well. Having finished 3rd (on a bike sporting a Union Jack emblazoned rear wheel) on the day, he now moves up to 3rd in the overall standings, just behind Kim Kirchen of Team Columbia.

"I had a really good day. It was nice to feel that all the work I did paid off," said Millar. "I think I'm going to be better than anyone's ever seen me before." Watch this space!

We enter Stage five with the third person to sport the yellow jersey...

Team NÖ Endeavour gets the Yellow Jersey

Sadly not for springing from the breakaway and making a dash for victory in the last hundred metres, but in some way equally rewarding. Yes, this Sunday, the 13th July NÖ Endeavour will be pulling on the yellow shirt required for all those taken part in the Challenge Ride as part of The London Bikeathon.

Around 1,500 riders have entered the longest of the day's rides (a mere 52 miles), which will see us cruising through Richmond Park, Chelsea Harbour, St Paul's Cathedral and out east to the Docklands and Canary Wharf. The intention is to beat the target of £500,000, all going to Leukaemia research.

Let's hope the current monsoons hold off. And if you are out and about in Olde London Town this Sunday... cheer on rider 2746 if you see him go by!

TdF - Stage 3 - the four musketeers

Forget Aramis and Porthos, the four gallant riders of yesterday's stage got the scent of victory after only 5km, and made a true spectacle of a windswept and rain drenched grind from Saint-Malo to Nantes. In the process they caught the peloton napping, and with no team prepared to take on the challenge only crumbs were on offer in the closing scramble for points. Consequently the yellow now goes to France's Romain Feillu, whilst fellow countryman Samuel Dumoulin claimed the stage win.

An expected show from Mark Cavendish did not materialise. He came in 10th. And compatriot David Millar rolled over the line in 27th, leaving him in 8th position overall. But with today's time trial around Cholet beckoning, a good run from Millar might have him seeing yellow by the end of the day.

The race is starting to unfold...

TdF - Stage 2 - viking victorious

Credit Agricole secured their first points of the Tour when Norwegian Thor Hushvold powered home through a phalanx of riders, who had gradually reeled in the brave breakaway of Lelay, Moreau, Chavanel and Voeckler. Afterwards Sylvain Chavanel joked “Me? Caught in the last kilometer? Yeah, I have a habit of doing this!" Maybe he will fair better in the time trials.

Valverde retains the yellow jersey. Kirchen once more finsihes well. And Millar moves up to seventh overall. What of Cavendish? Maybe Stage 3 - Saint Malo to Nantes will provide the opportunity for him to show why he is considered the best sprinter in the world?

TdF - Stage 1 - Valverde triumphs

With all the discordant chicanery building up to this year's Tour, the spectacle of the 1st Stage (Brest - Plumelec) soon restored faith. And the man to pull on the maillot jaune at its completion - 28 year old Alejandro Valverde of Caisse d'Espargne.

One of the pre-Tour favourites for this year's title, Valverde may have set down a marker for the other riders. And with his proven abilities as a climber, finisher and all-round competitor the additional pyschological benefits accrued from pulling on the first yellow jersey of 2008 may make the winner of this year's Liège-Bastogne-Liège a tough man to break. In his words - "I am here really to fight for the podium."

In his first ever Tour de France in 2005 Valverde famously picked off Lance Armstrong on the mountainous Stage 10 into Courchevel to secure a victory. And things were looking good for the rookie rider until Stage 13 proved unlucky for him when he was forced to retire with a knee injury.

Could it be that 2008 is his year? Can Cadel Evans make a worthy competitor? Will Kim Kirchen be the surprise package? Mark Cavendish is in the form of his life. And David Millar feels his preparation puts him at the peak of his game.

Who's your Euro on?

Will the banderas be flying in Las Lumbreras? Or will the man from Mtarfa be meteoric?