GPS Kids | Jake’s Journal du jour: Team Garmin’s Wiggins makes prologue podium

On a muggy day in Monaco, the ice vests used in Team Garmin’s warmups really had their work cut out for them. And on the tricky 15.5 km prologue that started with a 7 km climb, Team Garmin kept its cool while placing four cyclists in the top 17 finishers. Bradley Wiggins sparked an ovation among the argyle armada – all of which were outfitted in special Fourth of July T-shirts – when he flew through the finish and set a new time to beat. Even though Wiggo’s time would be topped before day’s end, seeing one of our stellar time trialists take his place on the podium set the tone for the rest of the Tour.

Team Garmin prides itself on its depth and consistency. So it wasn’t a surprise to see Wiggins (3rd), Dave Zabriskie (13th), David Millar (14th) and Christian Vande Velde (17th) all finish within a minute of the stage winner. And the crowds around the bus – of both fans and media – reminded us just how much people love showing their argyle affection. ESPN, The New York Times and the Versus crew were fixtures at the team bus where our guys would emerge throughout the day to work up a sweat on their trainers before heading out on the streets. Versus even had a camera mounted in the Garmin chase car to capture the action as it happened. And Joe Lindsey of Bicycling magazine even found a way to be in two places at once, interviewing David Millar at the bus while sending a mini-cam with me in the car following Martijn Maaskant. And I can attest to the difficulty of the course. I wasn’t even cycling – just along for the ride in the car – and I had trouble keeping my balance. Of course it may have been because I was taking pictures, shooting video, drinking water and updating Twitter amid the excitement. Well, the action continues tomorrow (Monaco to Brignoles) and the next day (Marseille to La Grande-Motte) before things really get interesting at the Montpellier team time trial. If you want updates, candid photos and behind-the-scenes access, be sure to follow me on Twitter (@JakesJournal) and check the Team Garmin site. The fun is just beginning.

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