Denis Menchov of Russia, Alberto Contador of Spain, and Andy Schleck of Luxembourg, wearing the overall leader's yellow jersey, front to rear, climb towards Ax Trois Domaines during the 14th stage of the Tour (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)

Cycling and head-butting are not normally associated but they were last week in the Tour de France. Arthur Lamy takes a look at the week’s events.

Postcard from the Tour

• Remember last week’s sad story of Lance Armstrong having three crashes in one day? Here’s one of them:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T8Wn086YpSA&feature=related

• If you didn’t see it, here is the much-talked about Mark Renshawe head-butting incident, that occurred on Stage 11, I must say I’ve never seen that move on the track or anywhere else.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_L8VLgLX7AM&feature=relatedI

• So it looks like being a Contador or Schleck benefit at this stage of the race. It’s consistency that generally makes the winner of an event like this, and both Alberto Contador and Andy Schleck have been steady this week, hardly ever leaving the top ten on general classification. No surprise really, as both are brilliant climbers and this year’s race was generally thought of as being a climber’s race.

• At this moment we have Andy Schleck in first position on general classification with Alberto Contador just 31 seconds behind him after 2728 kilometres. Highest placed Briton is Bradley Wiggins in 18^th spot.

• As usual see all the news and action on http://www.letour.fr/us/homepage_courseTDF.html

Sprint Bonuses

• Watch makers Timex have just produced a cycling-specific watch that gives speed, distance, altitude, heart rate and cadence among other things. The Timex Ironman Global Trainer is due out in September in Europe. No price as yet.

• Adidas have appointed fashion designer Stella McCartney to design uniforms for Team GB and official merchandise for the London 2012 Olympic Games.

• Copenhagen, a city not unknown for its affinity with cycling, is inviting companies from around the world to present innovative solutions to blend cycling into a new intelligent integrated transport system in the city. Among the ideas that are being proposed are bike lanes that indicate frost, congestion and are linked to traffic lights. Mobile links that provide updated cycling news, and which can be used to pre-book parking, plan routes and social networking. For the whole proposal go to http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/press/future-bicycle-technologies,1383894.html

• The price of perfection is online, Mercian Cycles of Derby have recently launched a website that tells you how much your custom-built frame will cost you as you add upgrades. It’s a great way to see what your dream frame will look like before splashing out! http://www.merciancycles.co.uk/

• The first of London’s Cycle Superhighways  goes live tomorrow 19th July. Marshals from the London Cycling Campaign will be guiding cyclists on a series of tours around the two Barclays-sponsored routes. http://www.lcc.org.uk/index.asp?Pageid=1

• Following on from something that I mentioned in the blog a week or so ago, inventor Stephen Britt has won a  £50,000 prize from Barclay’s Bank to market and develop his ‘Fast Forward’ electric pedals.

• News presenter and CTC President Jon Snow is offering a £1,000 reward to get his hand-built titanium Condor back; it was stolen from outside the Channel 4 newsroom in Central London.

• It’s something that cyclists and motorcyclists have known for a long time, but now it’s official!  At least in Ellesmere Port, where Specsavers, the opticians, surveyed more than 1,500 drivers to raise awareness of driving with  eyesight that is so bad, that you’re actually braking the law. In Ellesmere Port itself, 16% of motorists couldn’t read a number plate at 20.5 metres, and in Cheshire 15% of motorists couldn’t read a number plate at this distance either. This is a legal requirement.

• A student from Brunel University, Chris Holloway, has recently won the Xerox Innovation Award for a novel gear changing system designed especially for downhill riders. The system works on the principle of an expanding chain ring. The Link gear system design has been patented by Brunel University.

• Been cycling this weekend? If so you are in good company because so has Barack Obama. He and his family have been walking and cycling in Acadia National Park this weekend as part of a brief holiday in Maine.

And Finally,

For a jolly good read, and great entertainment I heartily recommend Nick Spratley’s blog. Nick you may remember is riding John O’Groats to Land’s End to raise money for The British Limbless Ex Serviceman’s Association (BLESMA) and The British Legion (Jersey), log on to http://www.joglebrompton.blogspot.com/ and don’t forget to donate!

Arthur Lamy is a freelance writer and tourist guide: www.arthurlamy.com