In the paper this morning, he's quoted as saying it felt a lot better at the end than it did at the start. I don't know whether it's admirable or foolhardy. Whichever, he's one tough hombre.

Looking forwards to the TTT. Sky, Garmin and Movistar should all go well. Hoping it'll be Garmin and Millar in yellow by the end of the day. Heaven forbid it should be that colossal Valverde.

Live pictures just starting on ITV4. I do like a TTT

That was fun. Eventful start to the tour for Greenedge, to say the least

So what's Sky's tactics from here on in then?

Sit in the peleton until the race reaches the mountains then unleash Froomedog?

Great win for Cav (and for me at 4/1 at the bookies) yesterday.

As for the Sky tactics.......I've no idea just how the team will operate this year. If you read into what we've seen so far then it'll be Froome and Porte together against the Spanish/Latin alliance.

Contador is not a spent force and it is entirely possible that he will do Froome some damage in the Pyranees.

Could do, but the way Froome just rode away from him in the Dolphiny suggests that Froome is the sstronger rider at the moment.

So that's Thomas with a fractured hip, Hesjedal with a fractured rib and Vande Velde riding with a blood clot in a neck muscle and a loosened screw in the plate holding his clavicle together.

Nails.

No, screws.
Unless you're on about the punctures Sky suffered yesterday, in which case: tacks.

Meanwhile, Jurgen van den Broeke out with knee knack. 85ml of fluid drawn off it last night, which in my experience means it's buggered. Maxime Bouet out with a bust arm.

60/70kmh cross winds expected late on in today's stage.

Get the ambulances ready.

G leading the peloton. Effin' nutter.

Wind not as bad as feared, say reports from the finish line

Brajkovic pulled out after yesterday's stage, Christian Vande Velde has taken a tumble this morning, aggravated the bolted-back-together collar bone and also abandoned.

Meanwhile, Big Jens has gone on a banzai attack off the front. Seven minutes at the moment. Go on, big feller.