Stage 2 | Cavendish blown off course

July 5 | The latest Telegraph Cycling Podcast analyses a thrilling second stage of the Tour de France, won by Germany’s Andre Greipel after Mark Cavendish mis-timed his sprint and faded to fourth.

Cavendish’s Etixx-QuickStep director Brian Holm spoke to the podcast after the race and offered a brutally honest assessment. “History continues,” said Holm, comparing it to other races this season where Etixx have got their tactics wrong. “We really blew it the last 500 metres. We controlled it, everything went to the book and then we messed it up.”

Asked why Cavendish began his sprint too early, Holm said: “I haven’t a clue. It was meltdown. There was no reason to go so early, with 25 riders in the front group. There should have been no panic.”

Richard Moore, Lionel Birnie and Daniel Friebe discuss all the talking points from a stage that was buffeted by crosswinds and hit by heavy rain.

There are also interviews with Geraint Thomas, who helped his Team Sky leader Chris Froome move up to 10th overall, and Alex Dowsett, who had a more difficult day looking after his Movistar leader Nairo Quintana.

The Telegraph Cycling Podcast is supported by Jaguar