As the Tour de France 2010 enters its second phase, Britain's Dan Lloyd (Cervélo) remains upbeat despite suffering throughout the first week with a groin strain caused by a crash.
Speaking to Cycling Weekly on the morning of the rest day, Lloyd reported "I had a crash on Monday [stage two], I came off just behind the Schlecks [on the descent of the Stockeu climb]."
"I pulled my right foot out of the pedal, had a bit of whiplash thing and since then I've been suffering from a groin strain, right at the top of the leg."
"I've got a few superficial wounds but they're not a problem, and I picked up a cold on Wednesday, but that's on its way out."
"The thing that's niggling me the most is this groin strain, almost more on the flat stages where you have to get out of the saddle to keep on another rider's wheel. And just having to do that doesn't help me recover."
"The first hour on Sunday's stage wasn't good at all, I was in all sorts of pain and thought I was going to struggle to get through and had to go to the race doctor. But then it got bettter and at the end I couldn't feel it at all."
"It's funny, some days in the evening, it really hurts and I don't even feel like walking to dinner. Other days I feel fine but get on the bike and it starts being really painful. There's not much rhyme or reason to it."
"Hopefully a good day's rest on the rest day [yesterday] is what it needs to sort it out."
Riding his first Tour ever, Lloyd is optimistic that he will come through the next two weeks.
"I've still been able to do my job pretty well, and it was a great feeling when Thor won that stage, and just to be a part of the Tour, particularly when you're riding for the riders we've got in our team, still feels like a big privilege."
"I'm sure the next two weeks go a bit better, although there will be a lot of suffering for everybody on these Alpine stages."- starting today.
After the rest day, Lloyd was lying 159th, 1-06-53 down on race leader Cadel Evans.
Tour de France 2010: Latest news
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Evans faces rough ride in yellow
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Tour de France 2010: rest day review (July 12)
Armstrong's Tour de France dream ends
Sky's objective clear ahead of Tour's high mountains
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Thomas: 'Yellow jersey would be unbelievable
Analysis: The role of Renshaw
Cavendish strikes back in Tour de France
Thomas happy with Tour's white jersey; but says 'All for Brad'
Wiggins crashes on Tour stage start
Cavendish and Farrar return to top
Cavendish keeps up fight for first Tour win
Sky delivers Boasson Hagen to third without pressure
Tour de France 2010: Stage reports
Stage seven: Chavanel wins stage and takes overall as Thomas drops out of Tour's white
Stage six: Cavendish makes it two as Tour hots up
Stage five: Cavendish wins his first stage of Tour
Stage four: Petacchi wins into Reims
Stage three: Hushovd takes dramatic win; Thomas second on stage and GC
Stage three live coverage: As it happened
Stage two: Comeback man Chavanel takes victory in Spa
Stage one: Petacchi wins in Brussels as bunch left in tatters
Prologue: Cancellara pips Martin to win
Tour de France 2010: Photos
Stage seven photo gallery
Stage six photo gallery
Stage five photo gallery
Stage four photo gallery
Stage three photo gallery
Stage two photo gallery
Stage one gallery
Prologue photo gallery
Tour de France 2010: Videos
Stage seven video highlights
Stage six video highlights
Stage five video highlights
Stage four video highlights
Stage three video highlights
Stage two video highlights
Stage one video highlights
Prologue video highlights
Tour de France 2010: Race guide
Tour de France 2010: Cycling Weekly's coverage index
Official start list, with race numbers
Brits at the Tour 2010
Tout team guide
Tour jerseys: What they are and what they mean
Brits in the Tours: From Robinson to Wiggins
Tour de France 2010: Pictures
Tour team presentation, Rotterdam
Tour teams take to the cobbles: Photo special
'We're fighting all the time to be in front': Is cycling more dangerous nowadays? We asked the pros
It’s time for riders to stop celebrating before they reach the finish line
