2006 Tour de France - Stage One, Strasbourg-Strasbourg: Bloody Yellow Jersey!

The high atmosphere that the team had after the winning yesterday has vanished. It?s almost a feeling of mourning within the team. It?s reminiscent of 2004 TDF when we had the jersey and lost it again the next day due to a crash. It?s a horrible feeling. One day, so high and the next day, so low. But that?s the Tour de France. That?s what makes it what it is.

Thor was all set up for the sprint until some spectator tried to cut his arm off with one of those big green hands from the green jersey sponsor, PMU. Not sure if that was their intention but that?s almost what happened. Now he has a 5 cm gash in his bicep which needed to be stitched up. It was a bloody mess.

I was able to set him up ok for the sprint. The problem here is that there isn?t one team with a big lead-out so I think that all the sprints are going to be dangerous and chaotic. When we came under the 1km to go, I was about 5th wheel with Thor and the front guys completely sat up and started looking around at each other as if to ask, ?Well???? Who?s taking charge?? I didn't really know what to do so I went early. There was only me to lead Thor out but 1km was still a long way out. I decided it better to go while still in good position than wait and get swamped. I had to do a long pull, 600-700m, before I finally got overtaken. I wasn't feeling that good but was still able to bring Thor to 400m out before the Viking nearly lost his arm in the battle with 100m to go.

It was pretty ironic ?coz after I crossed the line, I looked down at the road and saw all these spots trailing along. I wondered what that was all about but not really thinking much of it.

A true Viking battle. I?m pretty sure he?s going to bounce back ok and soldier on as a Viking would. Let?s just hope that things get a little better from here. Well, at least a little calmer. Hopefully the initial Tour de France nerves within the peloton will start to subside a bit from now on now that the first stage is over and done with.

Being out there today reminded me just how intense and insane the Tour de France is. I?d forgotten how deafening the stages are. There are always so many spectators out along the roads from start to finish so there?s constant shouting and cheering all day long. It?s awesome but at the same time tiring.

I?m feeling pretty tired tonight after having just done one stage. The next couple of days are hard. I hope my recovery improves.

Check out the photo of the Viking?s bloodied battle uniform.

Julz