that were he able to control his weight and out of season lifestyle then maybe, just maybe, he just might be able to add to the title he won in 1997.   Until that day, he may be resigned to playing the support role in the future for Alexandre Vinokourov, Andreas Kl?den and when he eventually is given a start, Cadel Evans.

The Tour is however like a double-edged sword.  It can elevate a rider to a hedonistic, all-time high; physically, emotionally and psychologically. It can also bring a rider down, forcing them to look for answers when they are just not there to be found.  One rider to have experienced both the highs and lows is ex-Cofidis rider, David Millar.  In his first interview since being officially sacked by his team last week, Millar explained to the British Guardian newspaper that after such a disappointing 2002 Tour de France, his salary dropped by 300 percent due to his poor performance and EPO was his guarantee to return to his previous best.  After the World Championships in
Hamilton last year, Millar explained that ?I used them [Eprex], I forgot about them, left them in my bag, went to
Las Vegas , was unpacking and found them.  I thought:  What the f### has my life come to? And put them on the bookshelf.  It?s my most private place, a place no-one touches.  It had scarred me: I had won the world championship by a huge margin and didn?t need to do it.  I didn?t want to forget about it.?   The Scot continued that, ?I believe in the power of the sub-conscious. It was my get-out.  I wasn?t happy.  I wasn?t enjoying it.  I didn?t like the point I?d got to.  It was an extreme way of doing it, but it?s typical of my style of life.?   Police in
Biarritz discovered the two empty capsules when searching Millar?s
Biarritz apartment whilst he was in custody.

Reuters last week reported that Ivan Fanini has made available to Millar a place on his Amore e Vita team once he has served any suspensions that come his way.  Fanini explained that,  "he (Millar) is only 27 and is a talented rider who has won a world title and stages at the Tour de France and not just with the help of doping.  Riders who confess what they've done should be helped and convinced to speak up, not punished.  By confessing how he cheated he's shown that he's a real man."

As always, keep your thoughts, opinions and ramblings coming my way at ian@roadcycling.com.

Until next week just keep something in mind ­ 341 days till we start again!  That?s 8184 hours, 491040 minutes...!

Ian