Le Tour de France 2012 – Stage 15: Samatan – Pau, 160 km.

There’s a touch of the Twilight Zone to Formule 1 hotels – you check out of one, drive for hours, check into the next one and the room is identical – to the last detail. Even in Samatan. Scary!

We’ve taken to putting a pencil mark under the one plastic stacking chair in the room and checking to make sure it’s not there when we get to the next town.

One of the attractions we’re considering for the rest day, here in Pau, is the ‘Musée du Béret’ – the béret museum, file under; ‘only in France.’

Stating the obvious, but we have the best of this Tour, take yesterday – we did our thing in the village, drove the stage and picked up all that joy and happiness, watched the race pass as we enjoyed our picnic, drove to the hotel and watched the highlights on TV.

However, I’d hate to have watched it on TV; I’ll have to make the call today, but I’m rather dreading phoning Vik; ‘have you seen any of this?’ he’ll demand.

The last three days have been a bit processional, it has to be said – but that should not demean the winners’ efforts.

Pierrick Fédrigo is a quality rider; he’s been a pro since 1999 and has won stages in the Tour du Limousin, Paris-Correze, Tour de l’Avenir, stages and the GC in Dunkerque, Catalunya, Dauphine, stages and the GC in the Criterium International and this is his fourth Tour stage win.

In addition, he’s been French champion and won the GP Plouay.

So far, this Tour, he’s been very quiet, there’s little doubt he’ll have targeted this stage from the time the race route was announced.

A rider like Fédrigo doesn’t go in the break to keep the DS happy and get some TV time; he’s there to win.

If you ask World Tour riders about him, they’ll tell you that he has an instinct for the right moves and is well respected.

It should also be remembered that for all the talk of ‘easy days’ and processions, another six riders abandoned, yesterday – maybe not so easy?

One of the abandonees was the Belorussian champion, Yauheni Hutarovich, we saw him in the Tour village yesterday morning, larking around with the FDJ boys – maybe he was just putting a brave face on it?

The FDJ guys all look great – like film stars, tans emphasised by the Persil whiteness of their strips.

If Pinot can avoid the traditional pitfalls of being a promising French rider – press hype, a big bucks contract, fast cars, night life, etc. etc. then he could be their best prospect for years.

He’s fast, shrewd, can climb and most importantly, seems to have his feet on the ground.

French cycling is undergoing a renaissance at the moment; whilst it’s good to see old foxes Voeckler and Fédrigo on top of the podium, Rolland and Pinot’s wins are very encouraging.

Additionally, probably the biggest hope for French cycling isn’t actually riding the Tour – Pinot’s team mate and U23 world champion, Arnaud Demare is only 20 years-old but has five wins this year, already.

It’s very difficult to win one pro race in your first year, never mind five.

* * *

It’s the rest day today, we hope to do some rider interviews, later in the day – you don’t bug guys early on the rest day.

And of course, today is the main reason for us being on le Tour – the Vacansoleil ‘Fete du Moules.’

Fresh mussels driven down from Johnny Hoogerland’s uncle’s mussel farm in Holland, big plates of frites and best Dutch pils; all that plus the chance to chat to Johnny make it a ‘must do’ gig.

And I guess we best weigh in on the Froome speculation.

The consensus among riders I’ve spoken to is that Nibali is a proud man and won’t ride to defend his third place – he’ll attack, tomorrow in the Pyrenees.

If Brad can’t match him, but Froome can, only a fool would imagine that the man from the Dark Continent would wait for the Londoner.

In that situation it is conceivable that Froome can win, and despite my stating the obvious, yesterday that Froome is paid to a job; and that job is to look after his leader – who would not be tempted if the opportunity to gain immortality as the first Briton to win le Tour in its 99 years of existence was presented to them?

All conjecture, of course.

It’s time to shower, organise our interviews – and what’s the address for the béret museum?

Result - Le Tour de France 2012 - Stage 15, Samatan - to Pau