Jean Vois leaves Tour of Britain

Oh noes!

It's true, on the very first stage of the ToB, practically at the first corner (well, we didn't get much coverage, and it was about 2 minutes in to the programme) there was a mighty crash, and Jean Vois was one of those who hit the deck.

He broke a finger, and he's retired from the race.

Boo hoo! Poor Jensi!

(Mind you, I would have thought it would take at least a broken leg to keep him out of  a race.)

Also, poor us, here in the UK, as Jensi was definitely the star of the Leopard team, and I was looking forward to waving at him later in the race.

I was even planning to add "40 ! " to my big flag, with the 0 being the Leopard logo, of course,  as it's his 40th birthday this week.

Now, alas, he's been bandaged up and sent back to Berlin for "an operation" on his broken finger.

Actually, the Leopard site says "He will return to Berlin for an operation sometime in the next few days."  So it's not quite clear if he's going to return to Berlin now and have an operation in a few days' time, or will return to Berlin (for an operation) in a few days's time.  Ah, English as she is translated. If it's the latter, then Jensi, why don't you come to Shepton Mallet on Friday, you can stand next to me and watch the race, if you like. I've saved a space for Andy but I don't think he's coming... but if he does, you are both very slim, there's plenty of room for both of you.

I'm laughing as I write that, as I am confidently expecting LLB and I to be the only people in sight for miles in either direction. We are planning the journey to get there well before the race starts, to ensure that we can get a place to park and a good position from which to watch.

We've selected a likely corner, as it's quite clear that corners mean "slowing down" so there's more chance to see them as they whizz past.

We also have a back-up position in case we cant' get it to our chosen one - it's a small hill which might slow them up just a little, with some good laybys for parking in. But I have a feeling that we will be able to park wherever we darm well like! Especially if the weather continues like this - it's wild, wet and windy today, with more to come.

So if you are watching the footage later this week, and you see the peloton take a sharp right-hand bend with two forlorn little figures under umbrellas (mine will have "Nissan" on it, of course), the shorter of the two waving a sodden Leopard flag, with no-one else in sight for miles and miles and miles.. that's LLB and me.