Skips at Le Tour & Froome’s Defence
11 skinny little Australians at the 2018 TdF, with a few notable omissions.
While it’s fantastic, and almost the norm, for us to have 11 riders at the start of Le Tour, there’s a couple I wish had made the cut. Most notably Caleb Ewan has been left out of the Mitchelton-Scott team. Obviously, so they can focus on the GC with Adam Yates…but sheesh…that decision is as un-Australian as English Vegemite. I’d have put him in, just on spec. No lead-out train or minder, and let him do his thing. I reckon he’d have been good for a win, or two.
Adam Hansen is another rider I love to watch, in any race. But after twenty consecutive grand tours, I guess he’s earnt a break. That amounts to over 400 stages. Put your feet up, Adam.
Froome’s Defence:
I’m talking about him having to defend himself here. He’s unique in that he appears to be ‘persona non grata’ to all cycling fans, including his own country. His fan base would have to be the smallest of all the multiple Tour de France winners, ever. Don’t forget that cycling is a very open environment, he’ll be in touch with the tifosi every day. A couple of years ago he had a cup of urine thrown over him, let’s hope it’s nothing worse this year.
Who to watch?
Valverde. I can’t stand him, but I’m sure he’s got something to prove after crashing out in the opener last year. AND he’s on a team with 3 leaders. That’ll be good for entertainment, when one of them refuses to pass on the Captain’s hat. Geraint Thomas. MBW (my beautiful wife) is tipping that Geraint Thomas is there for more reasons than support. More than a 2IC, he’s there to win. And that Froome is there to take all the ‘heat’. But she always loves a conspiracy.
Coffee Financials Report
Monday I got out for a little jaunt around the northern part of Lake Iseo. About halfway around, in Parzanica, I stopped for a coffee, and thought it looked like a good place to try a local grappa. You know, small hilltop town, narrow winding streets, many a rustic ‘palace’, vines in every yard, etc. The cost? 1.5 euro, for the two drinks. Mind you, I couldn’t talk for the first part of the descent…
You can view the ride here. We do this ride on both our Italian Climbs tour, and the Base Camp.
Cucinare Report
Memory is a funny thing. After five years of running tours to Corsica, and enjoying a multitude of different foods there, this year a jam, or more specifically a marmalade, got me. I can barely remember noticing ‘Confiture de Clementine’ previously, but now I’m crazy for it. Fortunately I brought a few small jars home, thinking I’d find it elsewhere, but guess what? Non c’e! I’m fairly sure it’s a marmalade made with mandarine, but it could be a Tangerine. It’s hard to find a proper definition for it. Anyway, can the next person going to Corsica grab me a jar, please?
Photo Above
An empty jar of Confiture de Mandarine o Tangerine? Je ne sais pas! (someone will let me know) (I hope!)
Top Photo: Maison, Corsica Centrale
Ebikes
We have purchased some new CX style Ebikes this year, from Wilier.
See our Insta feed for photos.
Don’t Just Watch it on the Tele…
Start planning your European Cycling Holiday for France!
Here’s a summary of our 2019 TDF Tours…
Topbike TdF 1 Tour
July 5-15 (Grenoble – Toulouse)
Ride the famous climbs of the Tour de France, from the Alps to the Pyrenees, including Mont Ventoux.
Not forgetting we’ll catch the 2019 TdF live on the tele most afternoons.
With Topbikes ‘Climbs of the Tour de France’ we venture north into the Alps, above Grenoble (nearly into Switzerland) all the way down to the Pyrenees, for 10 days of pointing our bikes up many of the Le Tours grand climbs, all of which appear regularly in the big event.
We move across the passes of Col du Joux Plane, Col de la Madeleine, Col du Telegraphe, Col du Galibier, Alpe d’Huez, Mont Ventoux, Port de Pailheres, Portet d’Aspet, Col de Mente, Col de Peyresourde, Hourquette d’Ancizan, Col d’Aspin and Col du Tourmalet.
Topbike TdF Paris Tour, July 19-29 (Toulouse – Paris)
For the 2019 TdF Paris Tour we have seven days of race viewing, covering stage starts, finishes, feedzones and KOMs. We’ll be starting near the Pyrenees, before venturing into the Alps, on our way to Paris. We’ll have the opportunities to climb the famed Cols of Tourmalet, Peyresourde, Aspin, Ventoux, Alpe d’Huez, Glandon and Galibier amongst many others. With a mix of luxury accommodation and traditional hotels, haute and provincial cuisine, we’ll finish with a ride around Paris.
Follow the largest annual sporting event in the world and enjoy the French countryside and culture along the way…
