Where to start? These last few days have been full on. The early kilometres almost lure the riders into a false sense of security, being reasonably relaxed with a break away going clear almost always immediately. Once the break has been given a ‘reasonable’ leeway then the pace will gradually pick up. Still nothing too alarming or chaotic. The second halves of the stages however are a completely different story…

As the kilometres count down, more and more riders start passing up the sides only to enter ‘the giant washing machine’. It’s a perpetual cycle in which you briefly get to the front then end up 50 places back within minutes. The moment there is a crash in the bunch all hell breaks loose and it’s a mad scramble to rejoin the front of the race. That’s if you are lucky enough to get up again unscathed. From that point on it feels as if all general respect for one another goes out the window and anything goes if it will get you a few places further forward in the peleton. The elbows come out and some guys will even take their own bidons, put them in their pockets and start calling "service" to move up the side of the peleton!

Yesterday was a big knock for us at Team Sky. Kosta (Siutsou) got caught in a crash breaking his tibia just below the knee. An injury that ended his tour and probably his 2012 season. It’s scary to see just how quickly it can all be taken away from you in an incident like that. Months of hard training and the interminable time spent up at altitude all lost by one careless action in the peleton. Kosta’s shoes will not easily be filled in this tour- he’s a machine when he gets on the front, so much so in fact that we’re constantly having to tell him to slow down!

I found myself on the ground twice yesterday but fortunately nothing damaging. Today Cav and Bernie went down in a crash at over 60km/h in the run in to the finish. Bernie is missing part of his eyebrow but is still in high spirits about life (I don’t think he has looked in the mirror yet…). As everyone keeps saying- “tomorrow is another day, another opportunity” and that’s how the tour goes!  Only 2 more stages to survive until we get to the mountains...

Photos : Sonoko Tanaka - Full gallery

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