Television shots of the peloton breezing effortlessly through scenic French countryside, can make cycling seem relatively stress-free, straightforward sport. Not a bit of it, says Eurosport's Michael FitzGerald, who spent an eventful day in the Agritubel team car in stage one of the Tour de France.

The gentle trundle through the streets of central London, thronged with fans, to the official start of stage one in Greenwich had given me the false impression that a day spent behind the pack alongside Agritubel's affable sporting director Manu Hubert would be a comfortable, serene way to watch the event.

As soon as the start had been given, Manu's nerves were beginning to show. The team were keen to get one of their men into a breakaway on the first stage.

"It's an opportunity to get the spotlight on the team and to have our shirts in a position of prominence," he explained.

"Apart from that, there are three category-four climbs. Whoever picks up the most points from those today is likely to hang onto the polkadot jersey for a few days."

Romain Feillu, a youngster for whom the team have high hopes, launched the first attack of the Tour, though was unable to go clear as the CSC team kept the pace high. Joy soon broke out though, as Freddy Bichot got into a four-man breakaway after David Millar had jumped the pack just before.

"Allez la Bi-Biche!" came the shouts from the delighted Manu as race radio confirmed their lead over the peloton was growing. Game on.

The gap extended further, and Manu told me with a glint in his eye that we would roll up to the breakaway to support Bichot. So we did, though with such speed that I am still wondering quite how we remained in one piece. We surged through gaps between rival team cars that initially didn't seem to exist and set a whole host of speed cameras flashing behind us. After coming round the peloton and haring up the empty road ahead, we were finally there, and I could loosen the vice-like grip I had subconsciously taken on the race booklet.

These were the moments Manu obviously lived for. A former rider for the GAN team, he became sporting director at Agritubel in 2005 and now devotes all his energies towards the team.

As a continental outfit who benefited from a wildcard to compete in the Tour, their annual budget is dwarfed by those of the teams around them in the peloton. As such, stage wins, such as that by Juan Miguel Mercado last year in Pau, are all the more remarkable.

"Of course we'll try to do the same thing this year," he said. "Winning a stage on the Tour de France is very difficult, but we'll do our best."

Listening to him communicate with Bichot, as well as his disappointment upon hearing that another of his riders, Eduardo Gonzalez, had suffered a crash, it was clear that he viewed his job as that of the head of a family as much as the director of a group of professional cyclists.

His disappointment upon hearing another of his riders, Eduardo Gonzalez, having to quit the race after crashing into the back of the Caisse d'Epargne team car left a sombre atmosphere in the car for some time, and was only dispelled by Bichot taking the three points available on the second climb of the day, which briefly brought with them the prospect of the team taking the King of the Mountains jersey on the first day.

Noting his apprehension and constant requests for updates on split times between the leaders and peloton, I queried him on the feeling of satisfaction felt when watching his riders win, as opposed to his own success during his career.

"It's not the same joy, but it's just as big a feeling of joy to see our riders out in front, in a breakaway. It's not the same satisfaction, but it's also a huge source of satisfaction for us.

"It's not the same stress either, though. It's different, as we have to give a lot of energy to the riders. They need us and our energy to take on the Tour de France in the best physical condition possible."

The King of the Mountains jersey went to David Millar in the end, though Feillu recorded an admirable fifth place finish in the sprint at Canterbury, ahead of the likes of Erik Zabel, Oscar Freire and Bernhard Eisel.

Mixed feelings then for Manu, though he kept a positive outlook on the day's events.

"The first stage went well in terms of what we'd planned, with Bichot out in a breakaway for the majority of the day. After that, there was Feillu's sprint that gave him a fifth-place finish," he said.

"Unfortunately, Gonzalo's fall is a big blow as it has ended his race. It's a real shame for us to lose a rider so soon after the start."

Eurosport