AUSTRALIA'S Tour de France hope Cadel Evans won over the nation's heart when he said "sorry" for not winning last year's Tour. On Friday, he did it again, but this time it was to the members of the Garde Republicaine motor bike squadron that usually escorts the French president, but every July sends it crack members to guide the Tour around France. Evans sought them out before the start of stage six from Brioude to Aurillac to say "sorry" for his quite obvious reproach on Thursday of one of them for braking in front of him and nearly causing him to fall - the moment beamed thoughout Australia. "I don't need problems with them," Evans told Breakaway before the Tour ventured into the Pyrenees Mountains. Bali backlash A hot issue has been raised by SBS, who are covering the Tour live for Australia - should cycling journos be banned from wearing Bali shirts on national TV? I will keep my opinion to myself, but according to a poll taken by SBS on its Tour website www.sbs.com.au on its forum section, 80 per cent of respondents ticked the box that read: "Sick shirt, what's the problem?" Quote of the day "I worked in a bank when I was younger, and I don't mind whether it's raining or whether it's too hot … as long as I can ride my bike I'm the luckiest man in the world."

Mark Cavendish after his second Tour de France stage win - in the rain. Riding them hard Riders usually have their first of two rest days on the Tour after a week, not 10 days like this year. But what were organisers to do? They couldn't have it on the weekend when TV ratings and crowds are at a peak. Nor on Monday, as that is July 14 - Bastille Day - when French riders are at their attacking best. Tuesday's rest day can't come too early for the peloton. Stage 10 Pau to Hautacam, 156km

The second of two Pyrenean stages will provide a major indicator of who can win the Tour. The stage, littered with bumpy, narrow and twisting mountain roads, has two ascents - the 12-kilometre climb to the 2115-metre summit of the famed Col du Tourmalet at 106km, and then the 15km hike up to the finish line at Hautacam. Both climbs are brutal. When to watch Tonight's Tour telecast is on SBS from 10pm, with previous stage highlights at 7.15am and 6pm.