STAGE 2 FRANCE: A STOLEN VICTORY

We've now changed accommodation and roomies. I'm living with Lou in a 4x4 metre room, showering in a bath with use of a fresh towel, and constantly connected to our free wi-fi. This set-up, with Lou on Skype in the bathroom while my Mum and I hog the landline, is now known as luxury. Today was quite eventful with an average of 39kms/hr making any sort of unfortunate mishap a fair nightmare. A QOM at 11kms saw Bel suffer a puncture, while QOM 83kms featured Kate, placing her 3rd in the jersey classification. With 15kms to go I was towing Bel back to the main peloton, a 4km turn past 2 bunches, not an easy task when you consider the speed. At 10kms it was all back together before Josie broke a spoke and Lou mistook being with 'Barry in the box' as a puncture. Bel crashed within 50metres of stage victory after a collision with fellow Australian Rochelle Gilmore. She's been admitted to hospital.

With more teams than tables at dinner some people are forced to share. Last night we adopted a few Kiwi's, tonight Kate, Ath, Lou and I shared with the French team Futuroscope. Those not aware of my bread and butter addiction are obviously blind, and tonight I happened to be starvios. While waiting for our meals I consumed perhaps 2 baskets of bread with smothered butter... standard for me. After some giggling by the Frenchy's I went on to inhale my salad entree and request seconds at dinner. By the time the chef came around trying to barter his remaining six desserts, mine of which I had already eaten and then gone on to pick what remained off team-mates plates, the Futuroscope DS was pointing and laughing at me, signalling a fat stomach with his hands! I was totally offended but consumed the second dessert anyhow :)

Results: La Route De France Feminine, Stage 2, Neufchatel - Gournay, 103.4 kms