Le Tour

The Tour de France has been incredible so far with multiple crashes changing the race on an almost daily basis.  Mark Cavendish, as it he was in the Giro earlier this year, has been involved in crashes, including going down in the huge accident that happened on Stage 6.  Commentators are saying it is the worst crash in the history of the Tour, two thirds of the peloton were caught out as riders tumbled from their bikes.  Many riders were hurt, including Ryder Hesjedal who had to abandon the next day, and so many bikes were damaged that it took many minutes to sort out the wreckage.

After the mege-crash the Tour hopes of Frank Schleck, Thomas Voeckler, the entire Garmin-Sharp-Barracuda team and a host of others were effectively ended.  Bradley Wiggins and most of the Sky team escaped the carnage and were able to set themselves up for a mighty push in the first mountain stage.

As the peloton climbed the hills towards La Planche on Stage 7 the Sky riders were close to the front, and on the final Grade 1 climb Michael Rogers, Richie Porte, Christopher Froome and Bradley Wiggins executed a brutal team display to destroy most of the leading group.  The Sky train attacked and dragged the peloton up La Planche, rider after rider dropped out as the relentless pace on a hot day left them spent and wasted on the mountainside. At the top Froome took the stage, Wiggins the pre-Tour favourite the yellow jersey and Sky, despite a trailing Mark Cavendish, were the fastest team overall.

Bradley Wiggins takes the yellow jersey.

Obviously Sky will be trying to win yellow, and this does not bode too well for Cavendish's chances of gaining the points jersey.  Peter Sagan has already shown his class on hill finishes and flat sprints and with the loss of one lead-out rider Sky may not be able to support Cavendish as they try to keep Wiggins in the yellow.

Cock Of The Week = Ferrari

Not the Italian car maker, but the reckless and foolish Italian rider for Androni Giocatolli-Venezuela who caused a crash in the final few metres of stage 3 of the Giro D'Italia this week.

As the front of the peloton began the sprint for the finishing line, Ferrari inexplicably decided to suddenly switch his racing line and veered to the right, straight into the front wheel of Mark Cavendish which sent the British rider sprawling across the road and brought down at least half a dozen other riders including the pink jersey Taylor Phinney.  Although Cavendish managed to get up and carry his bike over the line, Phinney remained on the road for some time receiving medical attention, but has since said that he will not be withdrawing.

Cock of the Week - Roberto Ferrari

Both of the long stage finishing stages in Denmark have been marred by crashes in the closing stages with fairly tight turns in to the finishing sprint, but whereas the crash on stage 2 involving Theo Bos and Alexander Kristoff was purely an accident, the crash on stage 3 was caused entirely by Ferrari's stupidity.

Giro D'Italia Stage 2 finish - In Italian.