Stage 3 - TDU Confidential

Following the misunderstanding on stage 2 when she was inadvertently left behind by the SBS media van (Phil and Paul missed some great cupcakes that Mum had baked for morning tea that day), Lisa's Mum left nothing to chance for Stage 3 and pre-arranged a limo (the Silver Bullet) and chauffeur courtesy of the Australian Sports Commission to escort her directly to Stirling. Mum was thrilled not only to travel in the Silver Bullet, but also to drive on one of the few expressways in Adelaide that is not one-way.*

Mum's lap of the Stirling circuit drew gasps of admiration from the crowd

As one of the hardest, longest and hottest days of the TDU, Stage 3 provided a perfect opportunity for Mum to bring to you her much-anticipated Musette Expose. To those lacking in pro-peleton know-how (don't feel ashamed, Mum was once one herself), a musette is a little sack full of goodies that riders are handed as they whip through the feed zone on longer tour stages. The rider grabs the bag, slings it over their shoulder and keeps riding. The idea is that the rider can get fed and watered without stopping and can also dazzle and entertain the crowd with feats of no-handed musette swinging.

Teams are notoriously secretive about what they put in their rider's musettes. However, Lisa's Mum did not do a cadetship at Today-Tonight in the bin-rummaging department for nothing. With charm, grace, and a bit of old-fashioned thievery, Mum today managed to get her hands on the musettes belonging to a few of the more famous faces in the peleton. This is what she found inside:

• Lance Armstrong: iPhone (for live stage tweets), draft of latest autobiography, love letter from Mike Rann, taco.
• Alejandro Valverde: TUE, lawyer, Vuelta trophy
• Cadel Evans: Picture of Molly the dog, dog toy, Molly's favourite blanket. Chocolate bar.
• Andre Greipel: Baby (foil wrapped in bite-sized chunks), sunscreen supply for left leg (2x bottles), sunscreen supply for right leg (2x bottles)
• Arthur Vichot: Copy of 'Accidental Hero' (French-English version), Port Adelaide CC guest membership, croissant.

Stage 3 itself held many surprises for the peleton and showed that even riders with terrible poo-brown kit can win stages. This win has given hope to teams like Mapei and Acqua-Sapone (zebra edition) who are now considering mounting comebacks to the ProTour for 2011.

Tomorrow (Friday), Lisa's Mum is hitting up Stage 4 and in particular urges anyone left in Adelaide to go to support the inaugural elite women's criterium on Norwood Parade at 6pm. Some top chicks are racing and they really need your cheers and help to make this a regular event.

Two of the legs on display at tomorrow night's elite women's crit. The one on the left looks serious, I'd watch out for her...

*That is a joke for Adelaide readers. Yes, Mum loves you just as much.