Did you hear that massive rush of air this afternoon? I swear it was audible - the sigh of relief that cycling has started up again on American TV today with only a few passing references to doping scandals… Life really does go on. Thank goodness.

Today’s Tour of California Pologue ended the same way last year’s prologue did - with Levi Leipheimer on top. Leipheimer started last, and was the only one who could best the day’s 2nd place holder, Jason Donald of Team Slipstream. Only Leipheimer and Donald were able to best Leipheimer’s course record from 2006.

The final top ten included Americans in the top three slots, three Aussies, a Columbian, a Swiss and a German. The first day still sees Americans dominating, but it’s fantastic to see such an international leaderboard.

Perhaps the only distressing thing is that during most of the day, when virtual unknown Donald was in the top slot having beaten Leipheimer’s 2006 time by more than three seconds, race commentator Phil Liggett (who, I must say, I adore) kept saying that he wondered whether the time keepers had made a mistake, whether the time they’d logged for Donald was actually correct. All I could think was, “Is this what we’ve come to? When someone does something amazing, something inspirational, our first instinct is now disbelief rather than awe?” I hope that’s not the case, because that would be rather sad.

Tomorrow’s Stage One ends in Leipheimer’s hometown of Santa Rosa, so you can bet he’ll be working his arse off to hang onto the leader’s jersey.