His risky solo breakaway proves awesomely successful, winning Tony Martin stage 4 and putting him in yellow.  The German “Gorilla” throws the hammer down once again in the final meters of stage 5, Greipel’s second win for a second time eclipsing a Cavendish stage victory.  Bad luck repeats itself for le maillot jaune, as a crash in the last moments of stage 6 sees Martin across the line with a broken collarbone.  And in the next big sprint finish of stage 7, amid anticipation of dominance or payback, the latter ultimately prevails.  The “Missile” triumphantly kills the pressure and wins his first stage of this year’s Tour!

Thrilling highs alternate with shattering lows, again and again in that unpredictable and unforgiving pattern that defines bicycle racing.  One week of the 2015 Tour de France is now in the books, with the harsh-yet-glorious reminder that anything we might anticipate will always meet the unforeseen.  This said, onward they go to the inevitable highs and lows that come next.