The Tour de France will begin this Saturday and today the 198 riders who will race were presented.

It seems like Alberto Contador (Saxo Bank-SunGard) wasn't the most popular rider among the cycling fans. He was booed loudly during the presentation, and I do understand them. I know he has the right of racing, as the Spanish cycling federation cleared him, but surely it feels bizarre that a rider who tested positive for Clenbuterol at last year’s Tour de France will race, especially a the Court of Arbitration for Sport will soon make its verdict, which means he could win the Tour de France and then lose it one week later.

More fun is that the Norwegian rider Edvald Boasson Hagen (Team Sky) will race the Tour. He has recovered from shingles.

Boasson Hagen won the national time trial, but then missed the road race championship due to the illness.

"I never really felt sick; I just had a bit of a rash on my back but that's gone now and I feel just as good as I did before,” Boasson Hagen said in a statement from Team Sky.

"The doctor said I had to take it easy for a little while and get a bit of rest in order to recover as quickly as possible. I'm happy it's all worked out and I can focus on the Tour de France."

In the Tour de France, the rider will help Bradley Wiggins to have success, but personally he doesn't have many big goals.