Day 3, halfway – Champagne to mustard or Homage to the support team

A good event always has some unsung heroes and this one has plenty. Yesterday my bottle cage broke on the last stage and, without even asking, the mechanics had a new one on by breakfast. I then dropped a glove whilst trying to eat ie refuel. A motorcycle outrider want back to pick it up. It’s probably going to cost me a beer tonight but that’s a small price to pay. Room keys are always ready and waiting at the hotels because the team have gone ahead and checked in for everyone. Nick, le chef de mission, quietly and meticulously gets on with ensuring this is a smooth, well oiled machine. My current award though goes to Aurelie and Elena, the sports therapists. How just two of them keep 80 mixed ability (some of us are not spring chickens) cyclists in good health whilst mainlining their humour is beyond me. Some really do have injuries and others just need a shoulder to cry on! Hats off to them all.

To quote Phil Liggett, “Back to the road”. Two great French culinary items formed the backbone of today’s stages. We are always moving so sadly no time to stop to sample champagne in Epernay and it's pitch black anyway when we pass the first vineyard! Vines need slopes and sadly so do some cyclists. As we hit the first hill yours truly finds that he is no longer on the front of the peloton – that’s for the whippets.

As for mustard well that accolade goes to Andrew – keen as. As I write this he is still out on the road! After clocking up four stages yesterday he will shortly complete the full-Monty of all six today. That’s 302km in one day – respect. My excuse is that he is younger and taller and I have to conserve my energy for the later mountains.

So today’s photo goes to prove it. Look at the height/leverage advantage he has. His saddle is in the stratosphere and must be the equivalent to taking drugs?

Off tomorrow to Valence, at 6am again. Relentless!

Neil and Andrew