It’s all getting rather exciting in Leeds now. The BMC, Lotto and Movistar teams are all staying just down the road from my house about 2 miles away. I’ve walked into to town for lunch the past few days and have been having to give directions to various team personnel and Tour de France officials who are trying to find the media centre although I did say that they really shouldn’t invite women into their car to ‘look at a map’ because that can get a man into a whole heap of trouble.

A friend and his son have been out practising with Giant Shimano and Tinkoff Saxo teams.