Stage 8 took place under miserable conditions with pouring rain all day long. Today the race started with 171 rider remaining, one of those absent of course being Manuel Beltran from LiguiGas. “Tricky” is bit the latest disgraced rider who was caught using EPO, the scourge not only of cycling but all active sports. Beltran made a full confession and said he did so all on his own volition and that the team was not involved at all. So for now his team stays in the race, although it now remains a tenuous invite on the part of the organizers which can be revoked at any time if they see anything suspicious with the remaining Liquigas riders.

Despite the Beltran news, it’s been a great first week of racing, but this news was entirely unwanted and did in fact take some of the wind out of the race. 

And what better way to celebrate the positive than to see Mark Cavendish take a second stage win thanks to a perfect lead-out by his teammate Gerald Ciolek Clearly, this win proved that he is the fastest man in the race.

Wet and wild as the Tour has been, it’s really just been a precursor for the great race action to come. The 2008 Tour de France that starts in earnest tomorrow when the race finally gets to the really steep climbs. We all suffered a little bit of a speed bump with Beltran’s drug bust, but soon enough the race will get back to the headlines for all  the right reasons. Trust me, Stage nine and ten are not to be missed!