Slowtwitch staff photographer Eric Wynn is on site at the 2012 Tour de France. Enjoy the first in our TdF gallery series.

All images © Eric Wynn, Slowtwitch.com 2012.

Sometimes the description of the Tour de France as a circus is quite appropriate.

It seems that a several thousand kms around France is not enough saddle time; this rider needed to ride his trainer a bit as well...

Spare bikes are a necessity in the Tour.

The race bikes start every day as clean as if they came off the factory floor.

Lots of media at the RSNT truck. I'm sure they wished it was under better circumstances.

Fueling up for the long trip around France.

Check. 1. Check. 1. 2. Check. 1. 2. 3.

And then, we go down this HUGE hill... Idle chatter before the start.

The maillot jaune.

Ready to roll.

Bradley Wiggins looking very yellow.

A spare Cervelo R5 for one of the Garmin-Sharp boys in case of emergency.

Very white bar tape on this stunningly clean Specialized Tarmac

George Hincapie in his last go at the Tour de France after more than a decade of racing here.

Kessiakoff gave up his polka dot jersey to Voeckler after today's stage.

Peter Sagan still holds a comfortable lead in the points competition.

How does these guys ride so fast? Just look at their legs.

Mavic neutral support. Everyone's favorite site when the lady luck leaves you hanging.

Speaking of lady luck leaving you hanging. Big George has been through it many times before. Perhaps one good thing about retiring. No more road rash.

About the only time you'll see Peter Sagan's Cannondale SuperSix moving this slowly.