What an amazing Tour this is. Crashes are always a part of a professional Rider’s life, but they are becoming a bit too commonplace in this opening week to the Tour de France.

Italian riders have never really enjoyed the Tour de France. A chance to pull out is often accepted with open arms, but this time, one has to feel sorry that so many have fallen.

Mario Cipollini, although he wanted to get to Paris , probably never will now as he gave up in his eighth Tour and will unlikely ride again in this event.

Petacchi. What a difference a few weeks make. Although he can blame the crash for his exit, he never showed the magical stage-winning form of June's Giro d'Italia.

Tomorrow, I feel some riders will not start, stiff from yet another massive pile-up today. But one has to ask, “What next lies around the corner on this year's Tour de France”?