If you're involved with enough cycling events you'll know people who've died on them, or people who are connected, who've died in other cycling circumstances. For all that the health benefits of exercise outweigh the accidents, it doesn't make it any easier.
Chris has been at the centre of cycling long enough to have seen that. It's one thing to rationalise the loss of people you encounter in your career or pastime, another to come to terms with the loss of your own mother in the same pastime.
His appreciation of his mother was very moving.
Let's not forget Keith Boardman, a very valued member of the cycling community, as a participant and coach.
I'm also heartened by the way that Chris's friend, Jens Voigt, has stepped in to fill the void in the Tour coverage.