Less than a week to go, last minute training finished - how are the riders looking?

Beth: The promised new bike has arrived, and what a bike! Will more than compensate for the missed training due to illness earlier in the summer. Beth has also added her own brand of chocolate rice crispie cakes to her reportoire, so may be the most popular rider in the peleton.

Chris: There have been a couple of unsubstantiated sightings of Chris out training on his bike. Has scared a couple of members of the team with the threat of compulsory post-ride sambuca sessions. Not a fan of Huw's suggested eat as you ride policy, and has spent the last week identifying suitable places en route for food and massages!

Huw: The magnitude of the ride seems to have actually got to Huw over in his bolthole in Brittany. Once feared amongst the team for his cycling prowess, recent events have lowered his status to just "one of the team", with revelations that he bottled out of a cycle half way round angelsey, and recent photos showing him sporting some interesting "facial growth"

Jamie: As the only member of the team not on a racing bike, Jamie has recently devoured Lance Armstrong's "It's not about the bike". Good news is that there is plenty of room on the bike for a bakset to carry the required french sticks and onions up the Champs Elysee. Most likely to be caught in a pink wig and a beret by L'Arc de Triomphe.

Richard Spink: A final bike inspection by an expert last week revealed that Richard has a top quality bike. Unfortunately, one more suited to a child. Not ideal for a man of Richard's standing.

Rich Stovell: Recent fears that the end of the world may be nigh, has taken his carbo loading to new levels. Also, now the team "master of the puncture"(getting towards double figures over the last 6 weeks) we are hoping he will not be kept to busy. The new bike is strangely brown - what more can you say.....

Sally: The Queen of the Jelly Bean, and the most likely member of the team to try to out-sambuca Chris. Don't mention clip-in pedals, or, in fact, ribs....A painful combination.