Let’s go back to the team change first of all and I want to put all the rumours to rest. I did not leave Team Sky due to political reasons, nor the fact I was caught with three podium girls on the team bus after my stage victory in the Tour of Luxembourg. I left because I wanted to take on the 2010 tour with my team having a genuine chance of victory. I feel that with Team Radio Shack, I am definitely in the strongest team in the tour and we have the greatest cyclist whom ever lived leading the way. As well as Johan Bruyneel though, we have Lance Armstrong leading us on the road. Either way, I feel good knowing that I’m in the hands of the best in the business and by the time we get to Paris, that counts!

I don’t have to go through the entire team, but let’s just say it was touch and go as to whether Johan wanted me, Levi or Klodi being the number one guy alongside Lance in planning for the evening entertainment as we travel from town to town. Things happen so fast in le Tour, you barely have time to plan for booze and parties, so this is where Lance’s experience comes in. He’s planned some of the biggest and best parties in town. Who could ever forget my tour debut back in 2003, and the party organised by Lance after the stage to L’Alpe d’Huez in which he took the yellow jersey for the first time. Wow. That’s all I’ll say.

Blending in with the team has been a lot simpler than I first thought it would be. The boys have been very welcoming, especially Jani, but I’ll just put that down to youthful exuberance and we’ll never talk about that again.

Moving on to “Le Tour”, I’m in the best condition of my life. This is my 6th tour this year and I feel like I finally understand how to manipulate the French media and get away with as much as I can.

I’m hopeful of a top 20 finish and could even crack it for my first top 10 in three years. Mind you, there were no real decent riders that year anyway, so it doesn’t really count. Considering 9th is my best result, anything better and it’s my shout in Paris in three weeks, though to be honest the tour is about one thing and one thing only and that’s the drinking record on the team bus headed back to the hotel after a stage. That’s my primary focus.

I’m also confident of helping Lance on to the podium and although he’s been coy about his chances, he’s contributed over $14k to the swear jar on the bus after Chris Horner keeps geeing him up about “pistolero”. I mean, Lance is a pretty cool guy, but you see the veins start to pop out of his head every time he talks about the cocky young spaniard. I guess it doesn’t help knowing a few of the boys have pooled some big money for Contador to win this year’s tour. Don’t get me wrong, it’s all above board. They made sure the bets were made in their wive’s and girlfriends names and besides, the prizemoney is worth more if our team gets up for the win. Nothing wrong with an each way bet.

I hope you enjoy following my tour diary this year and get involved one way or another in the Tour.

Click the above image to view the official 2010 Le Tour website