Daniel Lloyd with Ellis Bacon

You'd expect your Millars, Farrars, Hushovds and Zabriskies to be hanging around the Garmin-Cervélo team bus at this year's Tour de France, but one unexpected face at the stage six start in Dinan was that of British, and Garmin, pro Dan Lloyd.

Lloyd rode last year's Tour de France for the Cervélo Test Team, which merged ahead of this season with Garmin to create the new super-squad, and which has already won two stages at this year's Tour.

But although Lloyd was not along for the ride this time, he did stop by to say hello - seeing as he was in the area, on holiday with his family.

The team's two stage wins - the team time trial on stage two, and Tyler Farrar's sprint victory the next day - plus Thor Hushovd's spell in the yellow jersey have impressed Lloyd.

"It's been amazing for them, and couldn't have really gone any more to plan," he told Cycling Weekly. "The English-speaking people who own the gîte we're staying in have got ITV4, so I've been doing a bit of training in the morning and then watching the racing in the afternoon."

Was it strange for him to be here, but not to be here as part of the race?

"It's much nicer being on the other side of it, but it inspires you to be back in it in the future," Lloyd said. "It's so difficult at this time of year, in this team, to get into the squad of just nine guys, but it's definitely something I want to work towards again in the future. This is where it's at, isn't it?"

Lloyd struggled through last year's Tour - his first - having received a rather late call-up after Heinrich Haussler's withdrawal due to a knee injury made a berth available.

"I had a few problems doing the Tour last year, and it wasn't the easiest to get through," Lloyd admitted, having ridden the French race on the back of what was a very tough Tour of Italy. "But the Tour is the pinnacle of the sport, and something I want to come back and do."

Turning his attention to his race programme this year, Lloyd said he hoped to have a strong second half of the season.

"At this point last year I'd done the Classics, the Giro, the Dauphiné and then I was at the Tour, so after that I had already mentally finished my season," he explained. "My last race this season was the national championships, and I'm probably not racing again until late July or even early August, so I'm training fairly hard at the moment. I'm really motivated to have a good end to the season."

For now, though, it's all about enjoying the rest of his family holiday - and watching the rest of the Tour on ITV4 from the other side of the screen.

Tour de France 2011: Related links

Tour de France 2011: Cycling Weekly's coverage index

Tour de France 2011: Latest news

Wiggins saw Sky's first Tour win coming

Tour bans motorcyclist after Sorensen's crash

Cavendish's race for the Tour green jersey

Cavendish surprises with Tour stage win and press conference

How is Ben Swift's first Tour de France going?

Farrar's Tour gamble pays off

Cavendish loses two sprints in one stage

Wiggins off to ideal Tour start

Sky at the Tour team time trial photo special

Vaughters' Garmin-Cervelo team hits cycling's top

Tour GC contenders: the winners and losers after stage one

Already in white, can Geraint Thomas take yellow?

Evans jumps ahead in Tour opener

Tour team time trial training

Cavendish's train must adapt to win Tour stages

Pro predictions: Who will win opening Tour stage?

Tour de France teams presented, Contador booed

Tour de France 2011: Teams, riders, start list

Tour de France 2011: Official start list

Tour de France 2011: Who's riding?

Tour de France 2011: Team guide

Tour de France 2011: Stage reports

Stage six: Boasson Hagen takes Sky's first Tour de France win

Stage five: Cavendish wins in Cap Frehel

Stage four: Evans edges out Contador on the Mur-de-Bretagne

Stage three: Farrar sprints to first Tour victory in Redon

Stage two: Garmin win team time trial to put Hushovd in yellow

Stage one: Gilbert blasts to victory as Tour gets off to spectacular start

Tour de France 2011: Highlights videos

Stage six video highlights

Video: Erik Zabel's role as Cavendish's sprint advisor

Stage five video highlights

Stage four video highlights

Stage three video highlights

Stage two video highlights

Stage one video highlights

Tour de France 2011: Photo galleries

Stage 6 photo gallery by Graham Watson

Stage five photo gallery by Graham Watson

Stage four photo gallery by Andy Jones

Stage four photo gallery by Graham Watson

Stage three photo gallery by Graham Watson

Stage two photo gallery by Andy Jones

Stage two photo gallery by Graham Watson

Stage one photo gallery by Graham Watson

Tour de France 2011 team time trial training photo gallery by Andy Jones

Tour de France 2011 team presentation by Andy Jones

Tour de France 2011 team press conferences by Andy Jones

Tour de France 2011 team presentation by Graham Watson

Tour de France 2011: Live text coverage

Tour de France 2011 LIVE: CW's text coverage schedule

Tour de France 2011: Archive videos

Video: 2003 Centenary Tour

Video: Lance Armstrong retrospective

Video: Behind the scenes at the Tour

Video: Guerini's 1999 stage win

Video: Thrills and spills at the Tour

Video: Armstrong in 1999

Video: The Indurain years

Video: Ladies of the Tour

Video: Best of bizarre



Tour de France 2011: Archive articles
1999 Tour de France stage two: Passage du Gois causes chaos

Tour de France 2011: TV schedule

British Eurosport Tour de France 2011 TV schedule

ITV4 Tour de France 2011 TV schedule

Tour de France 2011: Related links

Tour de France: The jerseys, what they are and what they mean

Potted history of the Tour de France

The closest Tours in history

Brits in the Tours: From Robinson to Wiggins

Tour de France 2010: Cycling Weekly's coverage index

Tour de France 2011: Older news items

Cavendish to start all three grand tours in 2011

2011 Tour de France teams named

Tour de France 2011: Route details

The mountains of the 2011 Tour de France

Cavendish challenging for up to eight stages in 2011 Tour

Wiggins and Team Sky confident but not talking of Tour podium

Contador faces tough questions in pre-Tour press conference

Brits in the Tour de France 2011

UCI and AFLD collaborate on Tour de France dope tests

Contador confirmed for Tour de France

Evans set for Tour de France win

UCI says 'respect Contador at Tour de France'

Contador confirms taking part in Tour de France

Bookies slash odds on Wiggins winning Tour

Halfords launches free Garmin Tour de France fantasy game

Halfords banner animated

Thank you for reading 20 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access

Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1

*Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription

Join now for unlimited access

Try first month for just £1 / $1 / €1

Founded in 1891, Cycling Weekly and its team of expert journalists brings cyclists in-depth reviews, extensive coverage of both professional and domestic racing, as well as fitness advice and 'brew a cuppa and put your feet up' features. Cycling Weekly serves its audience across a range of platforms, from good old-fashioned print to online journalism, and video.