Saturday, July 13, 2024

Tour de France 2024 Stage 14 Pau to Saint-Lary-Soulan Pla D'Adet


Where are we? Spending more time in the Pyrenees

Since I covered Pau yesterday, only the stage finish town today:

Saint-Lary-Soulan Pal D'Adet: Hello ski resort. The local tourist site tells me that The village of Saint-Lary is dominated by the ski resort overlooking it. Le téléphérique du Pic Lumière and La télécabine de Vignec, link the village to the slopes. Always lively, the streets of Saint-Lary and especially its main street: the rue Vincent Mir, (named after the resort’s founder) offer numerous shops, services and restaurants. Evenings in the village are festive, combining family atmosphere and Southwestern conviviality!  They also tell me that The Vallées d’Aure et du Louron are classified as Pays d’Art et d’Histoire and are committed to a policy of animating and promoting the built, natural and architectural heritage.
Le Tour specialties: Bigorre black pork, spit-roasted cake, garbure, mountain honey, etc...

Christian Prudhomme says:  The dynamic format of the first Pyrenean stage is accentuated by the fact that battle is unlikely to commence until the riders have gone through Lourdes. From that point, with 80 kilometres remaining, there’ll be a festival of climbing, featuring the Col du Tourmalet, the Hourquette d’Ancizan and the climb to Pla d’Adet. Fifty years on, the finish line will be exactly where it was when Raymond Poulidor celebrated victory in the 1974 Tour.


The stage: With a few more not starting and abandonments, the peloton was down to 156. Many of them would not be very excited about today's stage. Covid was circulating through, with some leaving because of it and others with "symptoms" and continuing to race, at least so far.

The opening of the stage was on flat roads and they went out fast with an average speed of 50 kph. They also had a lot of riders interested in a break, but it was taking quite a while for one to form and multiple attempts. Eventually, there would be a rather large bunch, with chasers.The Col du Tourmalet was being climbed for the 87th time by the Tour peloton. Which makes it the most used climb by The Tour It is ahead of the Col d’Aspin (76 times), Aubisque (75) and Peyresourde (70).
Seventy one kms to go and the group in front had abut 4 minutes. Sixty eight to go and it was down to 10 in the lead bunch.
At the top, Lazkano would cross first. That would be a nice bonus for him.
As they descended, the main bunch was hovering around 3:40 down.
Some scenery.Under 40 kms to go and the gap was closer to 3 minutes to a shrinking peloton. That gap would continue to drop and drop and drop.
Eventually, as they hit the final climb, Healy would surge solo.
From the gc group, attack Adam Yates. Why was kind of unclear. A set up for a Pogacar attack? He would close in on Healy and then it came, the inevitable Pogacar attack. That gap got big, quickly with Pogacar reaching Yates, so he would have help. Well, until Pogacar dropped his teammate.
Behind, they would continue to ride, trying to minimize their losses. Vingegaard would drop Remco.  A reminder that is is the first of 4 summit finishes on this year's race. Also a reminder that the fans were insane. 
Keep in mind that there were time bonuses, along with the time gaps.

The wine:

Domaine de Bellegarde Jurancon Sec Energique 2023

The importer says: Discover the charm of Gros Manseng in this lovely wine, a true reflection of its terroir. The grapes are handpicked when they reach their peak ripeness, usually in late September or early October. After a gentle cold stabilization of 4 to 5 days and a natural fermentation in stainless steel tanks, the wine is bottled in the spring following the harvest. This wine is a delicate and refined expression of its origin, with subtle notes of grapefruit that transform into hints of white flowers and vine-ripened peaches as it breathes. In the mouth, the peach notes shine through, accompanied by a touch of blackcurrant.


The food: Garbure
From my man in France: Was it Rabelais who coined the expression, "It's like there's a party in my mouth and everyone's invited?" I really don't think so. But he would have done, had he ever eaten a garbure paysanne such as I just tried. And while this party may not be black tie, do not mistake its unpretentiousness for coarseness. The rustic charm of these ingredients--cabbage, potatoes, carrots, leeks--belies the elegance of their combined maneuver. And a little duck fat hurts only those overly sensitive to slurping. More than comfort food, this is magnanimity food: a few bites and all's right with the world and yourself. Relax. Enjoy the party. 

Le Tour says: The garbure This is the traditional soup in Bigorre. Made from cabbage and beans, it is simmered with confit or "camayou", a local ham bone. You can find it in many restaurants in the area and especially at the Auberge de l'Arrioutou, the Hautacam restaurant which has made it a speciality.
At the beginning of June, you should not miss the Confrérie de la Garbure in Argelès-Gazost, the traditional celebration of the typical Bigorre dish: mass led by the Ariélès Singers, parade of the brotherhoods of the south-west, inductions, market and garbure meal.
food52 has a recipe! 
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