It's Brittany, Bitch.

 Stage 10: Saint-Gildas-des-Bois - Saint-Malo

"There is only one Cat 4 climb after 142km, meaning Pierre Rolland can enjoy a quiet day in the climber's polka-dot jersey."  Well finally! It's been nothing but threats to his jersey and a curious internet campaign against his polka-dot shorts for days!  Joke's on you, assholes, he's got socks too.

ITV's Rest Day special yesterday made me like Dave Brailsford a bit.  Last year-- when he had the unenviable task of bigging-up Wiggo-- I thought he was a bit of a douche. But now I'm thinking it was just Wiggo's douchey goo getting everywhere and making everyone around him look bad.  Anyway, Dave came across well there and again here.

I'm also glad people are appreciating just how decent Froomey is in his post-race chats. I mean he's literally getting the exact same questions, and instead of swearing or shutting down the interview and walking away or just generally giving off an essence of douche, he's responding like a pleasant, normal human being.

(You're no Lance Armstrong, Brad, so don't even try.)

"Chris Froome has gone for a classic look in yellow. He has kept his black team issue shorts, with just a yellow helmet, SRM power metre and saddle." No derision and mockery for him then. I mean really, no one ever looks GOOD in polka dots!

Finish town of Saint Malo looks extremely picturesque. It makes me think of the Chateau D'If from the most excellent novel, The Count of Monte Cristo.

Lots of sights to see as well, if anyone's feeling fresh after 197km in 23 degree heat.

Even carrying that water baby, Niki is all smiles!!

Too gosh-darn cute, Froomey.

Oh yeah there's a breakaway out there today but no one particularly thrilling by my completely arbitrary standards.

"A little bit about our breakaway riders..." Finally! Three hours in, give me a reason to root for someone.

"Interestingly enough, Luis Angel Mate (Cofidis) and Juanjo Oroz (Euskaltel) were tweeting to each other just this morning, and now they're in the breakaway together. Perhaps they planned this at the start of the day?" Twitter-based scheming may get my vote.

"'It's a flat stage but not that straight forward,' Goss said before the start. 'I hope to be up there. Everyone is in good spirits after the first week. We're carry on doing the best we can and hopefully it'll be a good second week for us.'" We know you're doing the best you can Gossy! Go for that second place with all you've got!

Well I dunno about overall winning, but GreipelThighs is certainly the King of Intermediate Sprints.

"The riders have just passed through Calorguen. It is now Bernard Hinault's adopted home town and his wife is the mayor."  So French.

A tweet from Chris Froome has just come up, listed as being sent an hour ago (approx 2.45 GMT). I mean if anyone could live tweet while leading the Tour de France, it'd be him. Did you see how he took on the whole Movistar team like some kind of cycling ninja??

Later expected finish time than usual. They're dipping under the 40k/hr mark for the first time since the race started.

"The riders are worried about the change in direction, when the head wind will become a tailwind." Bang-on tailwind, as Yatesy once said to Swifty in a totally incomprehensible accent.

"Nico Roche leads around a corner but his teammate loses his wheel." Papa Roche will find something scathing to say about that, no doubt.

The way they're describing this finish makes me wonder if they've stumbled into an actual labyrinth.

The inevitable crash. Flecha once again can't catch a break.

Dave Millar leading the way, AS HE DOES.

"Orica-GreenEdge take it up. They are riding for Goss today." Oh god.

"Now it's Saxo-Tinkoff versus Omega Pharma. Argos-Shimano there too. Where is Lotto?" Well lord knows they wouldn't have taken a right-hand sprint with a left-hand corner coming up after Hendy's little chat.

Ok, cyclingnews have announced "Chute!"  I don't know if they've suddenly gone French or just attended the Nica Roche School of Dyslexic Spelling.

Well 'shoot' AND 'chute', a disrupted sprint has given the stage to Marcel Kittel.

No doubt Cav will be back with a vengeance the next chance he gets.

Or maybe sooner. Basically follow Brian Holm's lead and stay off the OPQS bus for the next few hours.


Aftermath of Crash-Gate:

Tom Veelers was involved??  Dude's a liability! (Also note VDV's attempt to stay above the fray here)

Way to look on the bright side, Matty! We should ALL be thankful we have our skin. Except of course Tony Martin, who doesn't.

As Taylor Phinney suggests before evacuating to safety, the twittersphere is ablaze with commentary.

I have to leave for a few hours so we'll see if there's still a Tour de France when I get back...

Dave Millar and Greg Henderson are tweeting at each other. With brazen admiration.  Can the universe handle this or will it collapse under the weight of such amazingness??

Though Hendy is now blaming Cav. Tread carefully Hendy, if the town isn't big enough for the both of you, my heart belongs to OCD.

Well, having maintained composure til now, a more recognizable side of Cav is coming out to play.

While in the Tour de Niki, it's business as usual.

Actually that's technically incorrect, as the Usual Business is japes, but, nevertheless Tour de Niki remains neutral.

Papa Bear (and self-proclaimed U-Boat captain) lightens the mood and brings the love.

Lads.

Also, he's started calling Marcel Kittel Dolph Lundgren?? GET THIS MAN A TV SHOW!

Also, THIS has got to get some special mention. Did he call Lance Armstrong an American bandit??? THIS IS AMAZING FROM START TO FINISH.

I also like how the caption reads "OPQS Directeur Sportif and all round legend".

Okaaaay, now they are actually inside my thoughts.

Alright I got distracted. Back to the subject at hand, Prince Harry gave his two cents, and in reply someone offered the best hashtag ever for this kerfuffle. 

Ummm, this nearly turned into a gang war.  A pretty one-sided on though. Cav is properly stepping to that guy ("Was what my fault? Was what my fault?") and that guy is just helpless ("Mark I would like my tape recorder back.")

In summary: The road bears left.