The first nine stages of the 2012 Tour de France unfolded at a breathless rate.
Horrible crashes, three stage victories for Sagan, two for Greipel, and the expected but not guaranteed emergence of Bradley Wiggins as the 2012 Tour’s major player capped an exciting week.
Of course, the race is far from over, and with the mountain stages still to come, the GC could change entirely. Some things, however, will remain the same: the morning sign on, the filling of bottles, the collection of bikes from outside the team bus.
Here are some intimate shots of life on the Tour from official UCI WorldTour photographer, Stefano Sirotti.
Cafe society Tour style in the town of Orchies, host to the departure of stage three to Boulogne Sur Mer
Fabian Cancellara completes the sign-on procedure at the start of stage six, from Epernay to Metz
A fleet of Lapierre Xelius bikes stands ready for the riders of the FDJ-Big Mat squad
Chris Froome collects energy bars before starting another relentless day in the saddle
Yellow-capped bottles show the intentions of the Katusha team. Denis Menchov is their highest placed rider in fifth
