Fast Guys

The first two stages of the Tour de France are out of the way with both dominated by serious speed.

But Fabian Cancellara and Mark Cavendish took different modes of transport to the finish line.

Cancellara went solo and looked like he was riding a Ducati around Monaco, while Cavendish and his travelling companions took a bullet train.

Cancellara is everyone's favourite cycling gladiator and he took a broadsword to the course, flattening the hills with his power and carving through the turns at a level that was obviously faster and more skilled that his opponents.

Only an Alberto Contador, desperate to prove his leadership credentials in a team riven by doubt and rivalry, came close.

With his win in the mountainous Tour of Switzerland, Cancellara has clearly moved up a notch in performance, no longer a one trick pony.

Cavendish may be leading on points but it's Cancellara who may be wearing green in Paris.

Unlike Cancellara's solo exploits in Monaco, Cavendish blew everyone away in Brignoles with a precision driven by teamwork. It was just as brutal though.

With a tricky corner leading to the final drag, Team Columbia-htc lined up, put the pedal to the metal and all Cavendish had to do was ride an open rail to the line.

Daylight was second.

Was it just me, or did Cavendish actually look like he was getting faster as he reached the finish?

The Manx Express continues to take my breath away - it looks like his speed is improving in it's quality as he gains experience and maturity.

Certainly Slipstream's second place finisher Tyler Farrar agrees, saying, ""Like I say, there's no trick you can pull to beat him. You just have to sprint really fast. That's all there is to it."

Cancellara and Cavendish may be studies in contrast, but they do what they do the same way - by going fast.