Regular Rambling

Michael Rasmussen is enjoying the yellow jersey

As expected Denmark's Michael Rasmussen launched his assault on the Tour's polka dot jersey with a long range battering of his rivals on the way to the ski station at Tignes.

Nobody really expected anything else from a man who has dominated the classification in recent years and so predictable in fact was the Dane's move that Brian Holm, Director Sportive of T-Mobile even told me at what kilometre the attack would come with, it turned out, startling accuracy.

What wasn't expected though was that the big favourites for the overall classification would let him ride himself into the yellow jersey. I doubt he will be allowed that luxury again despite his obvious shortcomings against the clock.

Professional bike racing is a fickle mistress and often cruel. Holm, the lean and affable Dane who had laughed and joked with me about the oncoming onslaught of Michael Rasmussen was riding high after Linus Gerdemann's receipt of the yellow jersey on stage 7 but, by the end of the following day he was reduced to tears by a catalogue of disasters for his riders.

Michael Rogers' hopes of tour victory had ended that day when the Australian crashed out attempting to follow the fierce pace set by Rasmussen on the descent of the Hauteville, Mark Cavendish had abandoned but worse had come after the stage, when the yellow had been snatched from the brave Gerdemann by Michael Rasmussen. As Patrik Sinkewitz freewheeled back down the mountain from the ski station at Tignes a spectator, looking the other way, had crossed the road. Patrick could do nothing to avoid the elderly gentleman and the resulting collision was horrendous.

By the time Director Sportif Rolf Aldag arrived on the scene both men had been on the ground 20 minutes. It took a further 30 minutes to evacuate the scene by helicopter and at the time of writing this, although Patrick is making a good recovery, the spectator remains in a coma in hospital in Grenoble.

What a baptism of fire for the new t-mobile doctor and thank goodness that the team's new policy of having practicing medical doctors rather than sporting doctors was in place.

Yet despite the tragedy this unique event continues to thrill and amuse me.

Yesterday I was entertained by the sight of a fast moving convoy of police and secret service cars, sirens blaring, carrying the French President, Nicolas Sarkosy away from the finish at Briancon. An opportunistic cavalcade of publicity and press vehicles had tacked onto the back of the President's escort hoping to get a fast ride through the traffic and we were treated to the sight of France's new Premier waving to the crowds, closely followed by a giant sized Nesquik bunny wrestling with the wheel on a banana yellow convertible in a desperate attempt to keep pace with the great man's car. Only on the Tour can such things occur.

I've been running with Sean to try and keep some fitness but I think it's about time to snaffle a bike from a team and get a good long ride in on the next rest day in Pau.

Until next time, ride safe.