Few of those in the Tour caravan begrudge GAN's Stephane Heulot his moment of glory in the yellow jersey even if that moment turns into a more lasting spell as race leader. Less than a year ago, released by the Banesto team, where he had ridden for his idol Miguel Indurain, Heulot's career seemed dead in the water. After beginning his career spectacularly with RMO in 1992 and winning that year stages in Etoile des Besseges, Paris-Nice, and the Tour de l'Avenir, his promise took him to Banesto for the next three seasons.
But things didn't go well as injury, illness and loss of form dogged his stay with the Spanish team. Added to that, his brother in law died from a sudden heart attack and, more recently, his wife fell seriously ill with septicimia after giving birth prematurely to their son.
"We've lived through some terrible things," he admits quietly. "Nobody knows how tough it's been. I carried on riding but I often wondered how I found the motivation to keep going.
"A year ago, when I missed out on the Tour, I could hardly ride any more. What was the point? It took my father to shake me out of my depression. 'What are you going to do,' he asked me. Cycling's a big part of my life, but not the most important part. I'm very attached to my family and that takes precedence over everything else."
Heulot's spell with Banesto wasn't entirely disastrous, as some high placings in races such as Paris-Nice and the Tour de l'Avenir demonstrate, but in each of those three years he failed to be selected for the Spanish sponsor's Tour de France team.
"It was a dream for me to join Miguel's team," he remembers. "I felt my progress reflected the faith that they had shown in me, and I hoped to ride the Tour for the team in 1995."
"But at the start of last season they told me that I wouldn't get a place in the Tour team, no matter what my results. They told me that I was too young the first year I was with them and last year said that I still wasn't old enough.
"But I don't have any regrets about having been there - they looked after me well, and I've maintained good relations with everybody. They made me more consistent and professional, so I've some things to thank them for."
Following his success in the Tour's opening week, Heulot is one again likely to be much in demand, and his name had already been connected with Marc Madiot's La Francaise des Jeux. But he emphasizes that he's not about to jump ships from GAN at the drop of a hat.
"Last autumn, Roger Legeay (GAN directeur sportif) rescued me," he says bluntly. "Even if someone came along to match GAN, I'd definitely choose to stay with Roger."