There's plenty of stuff going on before the start of a day's stage. As the team buses line up riders go through their final preparation inside, sign autographs and run through last minute checks with their bikes. This is the ideal time to check out the sorts of kit they will be using for the day. Here's what some of the bikes and riders were wearing on today's stage from Waregem to Compiegne.
>Millar (The Dandy) sporting a rather retro pair of flouro Oakley Radar glasses. A good combo with the polka dots.
>David also wears a pair or Specialized S-Works Limited Edition shoes in white. The new BOA is obviously more reliable than the older one which had an annoying habit of coming loose.
>Cavendish goes for a white and pink logo'ed pair of Oakley Radars.
And finally on the fashion tip we're still getting use to Bradley and his hair. Windswept it may be, but aero? Surely not. To be honest a mullet might be preferable (you would say that - Ed).
Access to the team buses is good and the fans can openly mix with the riders. Unless of course you're in Belgium and the bus houses one Tom Boonen
The bikes
No sign of Specialized Toupe saddles on the Georolsteiner Specialized bikes, no surprise really because Selle Italia sponsors over 300 ProTour riders.
Fabian Wegmann opts for a carbon rail Selle Italia Teknologika perch with the rest of the riders seated upon Selle Italia's Team Editions.
>Iban Mayo's and David Millar's custom painted Scotts
Mayo is riding Mavic's new R-Sys wheels. There's not huge number of riders riding the new wheels and Saunier Duval had most of them on the spare bikes on top of the team car.
>David Millar gets Mavic's Cosmic Carbons