maillot jaune et chaussette rouge

Andy Schleck

 I've been gripped by the coverage of the Tour de France 2011 as the cyclists take on the French Alps.

Yesterday there was the dramatic breakaway by Andy Schleck as he broke away from the pack with 2 hours of riding to go to the Col du Golibier, won the stage and cut Voeckler's lead to 15 seconds. Today Albert Contador (last year's winner) broke away with 3 hours of cycling left to do, but he was caught by Pierre Rolland who won the stage on L'Alpe d'Huez (and was the first Frenchman to win a stage this year). However Andy Schleck has the maillot jaune and is ahead by 53 seconds of his brother Frank! So it's all to ride for tomorrow.

Cavendish still has the green jersey for sprinting and Samuel Sanchez is the King of the Mountains

It's been good TV knitting too even though I've had to put the needles down when the cyclists were on the downhill stretches to Pinerolo(stage 17), that was eyepopping! A couple of riders ended offroad and in someone's carport- it was just as well they'd left the gates open or it could have been horrendous. The first Viktor sock is finished and second cast on. I've made it a little longer than in the photo on the pattern to suit how I like my socks.

I'm enjoying the TV coverage but I am a little envious of my in-laws who took their campervan to L'Alpe D'Huez to watch the race today and will now be heading to Paris for Sunday. I'm not sure if they're off to Grenoble tomorrow. Wish I was!