Wine and Food of the Tour de France 2023 Stage 20: Belfort to Le Markstein Fellering
Where are we? In Belfort and the Vosges Mountains
Belfort: The local tourist site talks about geography: The geographical position of Belfort, at the gateway to Burgundy and Alsace, has always influenced its history and shaped its appearance.
The situation of Belfort is indeed special, between two geological worlds, the Vosges (mountains of the primary era) and the Jura (secondary era), between two Roman and German speaking languages, and at the watershed line between the Rhine and the Rhône.
Also, a must see sculpture: The Lion of Belfort is a monumental sculpture measuring 22 metres in length and 11 metres in height, created by Frédéric-Auguste Bartholdi, a famous Alsatian sculptor between 1875 and 1880. It commemorates the town’s resistance to the siege laid by the Prussians during the Franco-Prussian War (1870-1871). It was a memorable event for the town, because its population’s heroic struggle kept it French, unlike neighbouring communities in Alsace.
Regional Specialties: fried carp, cheese (Munster), blueberry tart, belflore (raspberry and hazelnut cake), épaule du Ballon (lamb stuffed with blueberries), Facettes de Belfort (chocolates stamped with a monument or event)
Le Markstein Fellering:The Markstein alpine ski area has 13 slopes for all levels, from beginners to experienced skiers, served by 8 drag lifts. The resort also has a slalom stadium, completely restructured in 2006, which hosts International Ski Federation races every year.
Christian Prudhomme says: The penultimate stage features an Alsatian menu that is likely to cause indigestion, even over a distance this short, as the riders face a cumulative total of 3,600 metres of climbing. If the contest for the Yellow Jersey is still alive, anything is possible: after the Ballon d’Alsace, there will be an opportunity to launch attacks on the Col de la Croix des Moinats, then a little bit further on when climbing the Col de Grosse Pierre, then on the Schlucht, before then tackling the Petit Ballon and the Platzerwasel... It’s a minefield!
The stage: Off they went on the final mountain stage of the race. Riders today had the stage win in mind, but also maintaining their places in the top ten.
There were numerous attacks to start the day. With 79km to go: 5 riders in the lead: Ciccone, Skjelmose, Neilands, Barguil and Van Gils. The peloton was at 40'' and there were riders in between. There had also been a crash involving Rodriguez and Kuss. They both needed attention but were back up riding.
Eventually reaching the lead group, Pinot!
With 63 kilometers to go, the lead group had 10 riders, Pinot, Madouas, Ciccone, Skjelmose, Harper, Barguil, Van Gils, Uran, Vermaerke and Pidcock.
On the road, Ciccone gains more points and will be the polka dot jersey winner in Paris.
🤩 Job done for @giuliocicco1! He is now sure to wear the polka dot jersey in Paris tomorrow! Bravo Giulio !
Just over 40 kilometers to go, the gap to that lead group was just over a minute.
Soon enough, that group would fall apart. Left in front, Pinot, Madouas, Pidcock, Ciccone and Barguil. Rejoining them, Harper. Their gap was not large.
Attacking again, Pinot. A reminder that not only is he on home roads today, but this is also his final Tour de France. His ride was a joy to watch.
25 kilometers to go and he had 35 seconds over the closest chasers. The yellow jersey group was about 1:20 behind.
Crash behind for Gaudu. Yikes.
Sadly Pinot would be caught and past as the gc group went off in search of a stage win.
From Kermit Lynch:The Edelzwicker, which translates to “noble blend,” is sort of a wine free-for-all. It can be a blend of any of the officially permitted Alsatian white varieties, in any proportion. Producers with a little bit of this, that, and the other blend them into a fresh table white for everyday enjoyment. Meyer-Fonné’s 2021 has a floral, perfumed nose—perhaps from a splash of Muscat?—and a soft mid-palate with green apple and pear—surely a sign of Pinot Blanc in there. The finish is slightly spicy—maybe Gewurztraminer?—with crisp acidity and a hint of nuttiness—that’s definitely the Riesling talking. You can look up the exact blend on our website if you’re curious, but sometimes not knowing is more fun. What can you taste?
For the record, the blend is: 25% Pinot Blanc, 25% Sylvaner, 10 % Riesling, 15% Muscat, 5% Gewurztraminer, 20% Pinot Gris.
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