I was as excited as a kid at Christmas about the Tour starting today.  We got up early and rode then settled down in front of the TV with a plate full of migas and watched our first dose of the Tour. 

Stage 1 did not disappoint.  As is normal for the opening stages, there were crashes.  Less typical was the fact that the defending champion, Alberto Contador, was caught in one that blocked the entire road and cost him 1:20 over the leader, Phillippe Gilbert, in and of itself not serious.  Most serious is It also cost him 1:14 against his number one rival, Andy “chain-gate” Schleck.

As I pointed out in my very own TDF Primer, a rider isn’t apt to win the Tour in the first week, but they can most definitely lose it.

It’s too early to tell if Contador can recover that kind of time loss to Schleck and his other main rivals – Cadel Evans and Levi Leipheimer and my own favorite – Chris Horner. 

The outcome of tomorrow’s team time trial will certainly have a bearing.

First stage, but lots of excitement.  Viva le Tour!