"The main part I have played in this pregnancy was getting her pregnant, " says 19-year-old amateur footballer Callum Coker who decided to go on a five-week crash course for a BBC documentary to find out how to become a supportive birthing partner.

BBC: How it became almost mandatory for dads to attend the birth

The stage got off to a cautious start around a twisting and frequently narrow circuit and it soon became apparent that the riders, spurred by Horrillo's crash, were on a go-slow in protest at what they perceived to be the dangerous nature of the course.

CNN: Cavendish takes stage after riders protest