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| http://www.letour.fr/2012/TDF/COURSE/us/0/etape_par_etape.html |
From LeTour:
"6.4 km in the heart of Liège on the very same course where Fabian
Cancellara burst onto the scene in 2004. I guess he wants to perform
particularly well, even if just to get even for the bad luck which kept
him out of the spring classics... Moreover, I have not forgotten he is
the defending champion, having won the most recent prologue in Rotterdam
(2010). In 2013, the 100th Tour will start directly with a road stage,
just like last year’s, so it goes without saying that prologue
specialists should do their best to seize this opportunity."
So we begin with a short time trial around Liege. With television coverage rather than a live feed. And a lot of commercials for the Olympics. And some Liege trivia from LeTour:
192,000 inhabitants•Head of the canton of the Province of Liege (Belgium)
Specialties : Jupiler beer, peket (aperitif), Herve cheese, white pudding, Liege syrup, boulet a la Liegeoise.
Economy : metallurgy, transport, new technologies.
AKA : the Ardent city
Sport : Standard (football). Liege Basket. Liege-Bastogne-Liege.
The stage: Well, as some announcers would say, this is not a day that the Tour was likely to be won or lost. Rather, a 7 minute or so appetizer of sorts to the action to follow in the next three weeks.The predictions were for a close race dominated by the time trial specialists: Fabian Cancellara, Tony Martin, and more than a few others. And at the end of the day, what did we have? Well a Cancellara victory and that is always a happy thing, especially after his early season injury. But also a show of strength from pre-race favorite Bradley Wiggins as he gains 10 seconds on Cadel Evans.
Specialties : Jupiler beer, peket (aperitif), Herve cheese, white pudding, Liege syrup, boulet a la Liegeoise.
Economy : metallurgy, transport, new technologies.
AKA : the Ardent city
Sport : Standard (football). Liege Basket. Liege-Bastogne-Liege.
The stage: Well, as some announcers would say, this is not a day that the Tour was likely to be won or lost. Rather, a 7 minute or so appetizer of sorts to the action to follow in the next three weeks.The predictions were for a close race dominated by the time trial specialists: Fabian Cancellara, Tony Martin, and more than a few others. And at the end of the day, what did we have? Well a Cancellara victory and that is always a happy thing, especially after his early season injury. But also a show of strength from pre-race favorite Bradley Wiggins as he gains 10 seconds on Cadel Evans.
| 1 | Fabian Cancellara (Swi) RadioShack-Nissan | 0:07:13 | |
| 2 | Bradley Wiggins (GBr) Sky Procycling | 0:00:07 | |
| 3 | Sylvain Chavanel (Fra) Omega Pharma-Quickstep | ||
| 4 | Tejay van Garderen (USA) BMC Racing Team | 0:00:10 | |
| 5 | Edvald Boasson Hagen (Nor) Sky Procycling | 0:00:11 | |
| 6 | Brett Lancaster (Aus) Orica GreenEdge Cycling Team | ||
| 7 | Patrick Gretsch (Ger) Argos - Shimano | 0:00:12 | |
| 8 | Denis Menchov (Rus) Katusha Team | 0:00:13 | |
| 9 | Philippe Gilbert (Bel) BMC Racing Team | ||
| 10 | Andriy Grivko (Ukr) Astana Pro Team | 0:00:15 |
Wine: As always, I start with Champagne, this one from the Terry Theise portfolio: N.V. Pierre Péters Champagne Blanc de Blancs Brut Cuvée de Réserve
From the importer: With Champagne, from the importer becomes a bit more complicated. Why? Disgorgement dates, which tell you "when the wine was uncapped from its extended aging, its flavors polished
with a bit of sugar or sweetened wine, and the bottle sealed with a
cork. After being disgorged, Champagne is ready to be sold." See more from Jon Bonné here.
Having this info is a good thing, but can make it hard to match the bottle in hand with descriptions online. The portfolio website has Terry's comments on a disgorgement date from 2009. The new Champagne catalog (read it) has 11/11 disgorgement info whereas the 2011 catalog has info on a 12/10 disgorgement. My bottle? Disgorged 6/11.
So I wrote to Terry. and asked. His reply: "That June disgorgement is an in-between one. What I taste on-site each March is noted as such. With subsequent disgorgements, some I drink, some I don't. If I'm told the assemblage will change with an upcoming disgorgement, I note that information in the catalogue. If I can taste it pre-disgorgement, I do."
So instead, the catalog's words on Péters in general: "How the wines taste // Let’s put it this way: if Blanc de Blancs Champagne has something in common with Mosel wine in general, then these are like Saar wines, a concentration of the minerally essence of the type, and straining at the leash as though the fruit wanted to burst free and run at full gallop. Lately I have described the wines as starched, for they have that crisp stiffness. Though not exceptionally high in acidity, they are exceptionally low in pH, which gives them their attack on the palate and their trilling high notes of aroma. My best German wine customers tend to prefer these to any Champagne I offer. "
I say: This wine is always a joy. A friend I have known since the age of 5 or so, came by to drink this with me and it was a perfect wine to share with her. Light yellow with small bubbles. Some apple, some pear some flowers. But, really, this was a time to talk and remember and not to analyze.
Having this info is a good thing, but can make it hard to match the bottle in hand with descriptions online. The portfolio website has Terry's comments on a disgorgement date from 2009. The new Champagne catalog (read it) has 11/11 disgorgement info whereas the 2011 catalog has info on a 12/10 disgorgement. My bottle? Disgorged 6/11.
So I wrote to Terry. and asked. His reply: "That June disgorgement is an in-between one. What I taste on-site each March is noted as such. With subsequent disgorgements, some I drink, some I don't. If I'm told the assemblage will change with an upcoming disgorgement, I note that information in the catalogue. If I can taste it pre-disgorgement, I do."
So instead, the catalog's words on Péters in general: "How the wines taste // Let’s put it this way: if Blanc de Blancs Champagne has something in common with Mosel wine in general, then these are like Saar wines, a concentration of the minerally essence of the type, and straining at the leash as though the fruit wanted to burst free and run at full gallop. Lately I have described the wines as starched, for they have that crisp stiffness. Though not exceptionally high in acidity, they are exceptionally low in pH, which gives them their attack on the palate and their trilling high notes of aroma. My best German wine customers tend to prefer these to any Champagne I offer. "
I say: This wine is always a joy. A friend I have known since the age of 5 or so, came by to drink this with me and it was a perfect wine to share with her. Light yellow with small bubbles. Some apple, some pear some flowers. But, really, this was a time to talk and remember and not to analyze.
