Phil Wrochna is managing editor of firstoffthebike.com and a commentator for SEN 1116. He is reporting daily on the Tour de France for BPL.

The Tour de France is one of the greatest shows on Earth. Now mind here we did say shows. Not races. Every stage is a show. The actors (riders) come out on stage (the road) and play their part.

Except this show is not scripted. It is ad libbed and raw and may well have claims on being the oldest reality show on television. For what you see are athletes on the edge. The pressure filled environment that the riders operate in occasionally causes eruptions and momentary explosions. This is what transpired at the end of Stage 11.

Stage 11 was flat and regulation until the last 20 kilometres. The cross winds caused panic as the pace increased towards the finish. The Saxo Bank team took up the pace making the run into town a frantic affair. The pace set by Fabian Cancellara was around 55kmph (Cancellara was pushing 550watts for the more technically minded of you).

The regularity ended when Julian Dean veered off his line and was rewarded for that move by Mark Renshaw who aimed a headbutt at him. The result was Renshaw being thrown off the Tour by the race officials. The Tour has had a history of head butts. Eric Zabel in 1997 and Robbie McEwen in 2205. Both these riders were relegated to last place on the day. Not expelled. The Renshaw case was simply a relegation not expulsion. The over zealous officials have got this one completely wrong. At the end of this Mark Cavendish clocked up win number 13 on the Tour.

Who's Hot

Mark Cavendish - Another flat stage and another win for the Manx Missile. He is amassing wins at will and has already surpassed sprinting great such as Robbie McEwen and his mentor Erik Zabel.

Team Saxo Bank - The Saxo train was brilliant and when they put the hammer down the bunch split into a million pieces. Cancellara's turn on the front was brutal.

Who's Not

The race officials - Calling Mark Renshaw's action dangerous was correct but the disqualification was an oversight. Of course the team of Tyler Farrar and Dean agreed but their sprinters have ben so inferior this season it lets them off the hook for the stage. When Farrar pushes Renshaw no comment was made about that. There is no precedent or reason to the decision. Pre Tour in Switzerland Cavendish brought down half the bunch in a sprint and was only fined 200 francs. Renshaw should have been relegated and fined and the matter left there.

Results of Stage 11

1   Mark Cavendish (GBr) Team HTC - Columbia   4:42:29

2 Alessandro Petacchi (Ita) Lampre-Farnese Vini

3 Tyler Farrar (USA) Garmin - Transitions

4 Jose Joaquin Rojas Gil (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne

5 Robbie McEwen (Aus) Team Katusha

6 Yukiya Arashiro (Jpn) Bbox Bouygues Telecom

7 Thor Hushovd (Nor) Cervelo Test Team

8 Lloyd Mondory (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale

9 Jurgen Roelandts (Bel) Omega Pharma-Lotto

10 Gerald Ciolek (Ger) Team Milram

General Classification (Yellow Jersey) after Stage 11

1 Andy Schleck (Lux) Team Saxo Bank 53:43:25

2 Alberto Contador Velasco (Spa) Astana 0:00:41

3 Samuel Sánchez Gonzalez (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi 0:02:45

4 Denis Menchov (Rus) Rabobank 0:02:58

5 Jurgen Van Den Broeck (Bel) Omega Pharma-Lotto 0:03:31

6 Levi Leipheimer (USA) Team Radioshack 0:03:59

7 Robert Gesink (Ned) Rabobank 0:04:22

8 Luis León Sánchez Gil (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne 0:04:41

9 Joaquin Rodriguez (Spa) Team Katusha 0:05:08

10 Ivan Basso (Ita) Liquigas-Doimo 0:05:09

Points Classification (Green Jersey)

1   Alessandro Petacchi (Ita) Lampre-Farnese Vini   161   pts

2 Thor Hushovd (Nor) Cervelo Test Team 157

3 Robbie McEwen (Aus) Team Katusha 138

4 Mark Cavendish (GBr) Team HTC - Columbia 132

5 Jose Joaquin Rojas Gil (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne 122

Mountains Classification (polka Dot Jersey)

1   Alessandro Petacchi (Ita) Lampre-Farnese Vini   161   pts

2 Thor Hushovd (Nor) Cervelo Test Team 157

3 Robbie McEwen (Aus) Team Katusha 138

4 Mark Cavendish (GBr) Team HTC - Columbia 132

5 Jose Joaquin Rojas Gil (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne 122