The crowds in the opening weekend of the 2008 Tour de France have been huge. Brittany is one of France’s cycling hotbeds and fans have turned out in record numbers to cheer on the peloton. So much so that riders say it’s downright dangerous along the route sometimes. Fabian Cancellara said the crowds are bigger than he’s seen the past few years. “It’s nerve-wracking when we are roaring past the crowds at 50kph and the fans are just centimeters away. I know that’s how it is in cycling, that fans can get close to the riders, but sometimes it’s too much. You can only close your eyes and hope for the best,” he said. “The crowds are big this year all along the route. I don’t know if it’s because we’re in Brittany or if the Tour is coming back after a couple of hard years. I hope it’s the latter.”