Greig Leach

The leader of the race, Chris Froome (Team Sky) pedals up alongside the Race Director's car to shake hands with Christian Prudhomme. At the start of each day's racing, there is a short neutral section of riding before Prudhomme will pull in the depart flag and let the racing begin. Froome could be heard apparently apologizing to Prudhomme. A little bit later we could make out that Froome was checking to see if the laps on the Champs Elysees would be neutralized or not. The final decision was to take the time of riders as they crossed the finish line on the first lap, due to the rains that had made the cobble stones dangerously slick. One only had to watch La Course early in the morning to see just what could happen to the peloton and potentially to the Maillot Jaune.