The 2019 Tour de France Report

Being in France for the Tour is exciting.  It's like three weeks of the World Series.  I have seen the Tour in person many times: Mont Ventoux, seeing Froome win on Aix-3-Domains, seeing a certain Texan go over the Tourmalet, so I really don't go out of my way to watch TDF stages any more.  Logistically, watching a stage in the Tour while battling crazy, drunk fans and the traffic to get there can be a nightmare.  However, Stage 15 from Limoux to Prat d'Albis (Foix) went right by Dave Clark's house on the Col de Port.

Dave, an Australian friend, bought a house about three kilometers up the climb several years ago and holds a TDF party on his patio which overlooks the road whenever the Tour passes through.  One can relax, drink beer, eat, and watch the caravan and riders pass by.  And it's easy to go inside and watch what you miss on Dave's TV.  This is the only way to watch the Tour in person.

Winners

• The Tour de France:  This was the best and most exciting Tour in years.  It was hard fought.  Team Ineos did not dominate as in past years.  And no one knew who was going to win until the last mountain stage.
• Team Ineos (formally Team Sky):  The team won first and second place.  Team Ineos has won every TDF since 2012, except for the 2014 Tour.  And they have done it with four different riders (Bernel, Thomas, Froome, and Wiggins).  Bernel will win many more Tours.  And Thomas may win another too.  Even though Froome was seriously injured in June, he shouldn't be counted out for another yellow jersey.  Greg Lemond made the comeback, and Chris Froome can too.
• Columbia:  Egan Bernel (yellow jersey and the white jersey for the best young rider) was the first cyclist from Columbia to win the yellow jersey.  Geraint Thomas took second and was a great teammate.
• France and the French:  France because even though Roman Bardet, Julian Alaphilippe and Thibaut Pinot didn't make the podium in Paris, Bardet won the polka dot jersey for the best climber, Pinot won the stage finishing on the Tourmalet and was a serious contender before withdrawing due to injury, and Alaphillipe amazed everyone with two stage wins and over two weeks in yellow.  He almost pulled it off.  The French for putting on the greatest three-week race in the world.
• Bora Hansgrohe:  Peter Sagan for winning a record seventh green jersey (points competition for the best sprinter) and Emanuel Buchmann who almost made the podium with fourth place.
• Lotto Soudal: Caleb Ewan won three stages, including the final stage in Paris on the Champs Elysée, and Thomas de Gendt won with a solo breakaway effort (his trademark).
• Team Jumbo-Visma—WOW!!!  Mike Teunissen won the first stage and the first yellow jersey, Jumbo Visma won the team time trial, Dylan Groenewegen won Stage 7, Wout Van Aert won Stage 10. It's too bad that he was injured and had to withdraw.  This guy will have an amazing career.  Steven Kruijswijk was on the podium at the finish and was a serious contender for yellow.
• Deceuninck—Quick–Step:  In addition to Alaphilippe's amazing performance, Elia Viviani won a stage.  Although the team did not bring the riders needed to support a true GC effort, they managed to keep Alaphillipe in yellow until the final few stages.
• Mitchelton–Scott: They had plans to put Adam Yates on the podium, but things did not turn out that way. Simon Yates, his twin brother, won two stages however, Daryl Impey won a stage as well as Matteo Trentin.
• Bahrain–Merida: They won two stages (Teuns and Nibali).

Honorable Mention

• Trek Segafredo: Richie Porte for making it to the finish of the Tour.  He crashed during Stage 9 during the last two Tours. Giulio Ciccone wore yellow for two days.
• EF-Education First: Rigoberto Uran was 7th. Michael Woods showed signs of life for a while.
• Movistar: They were the best team with three riders in the top ten (Mikel Landa, Nairo Quintana, and Alejandro Valverde). and Quintana won a stage but they didn't come close to contending for yellow.  This team lacks communication.
• Arkea-Samsic: Warren Barguil placed 10th. This is okay for a wildcard team.
• Wanty-Gobert Cycling Team: Guillaume Martin was 12th.

Losers

• Astana: The highest placed rider was 19th and Jakob Fuglsang crashed out.
• Dimension Data: I wonder if they are regretting the decision to leave Cavendish at home.
• CCC: Greg Van Avermaet was 36th. It's a shame that the old BMC team couldn't make a better showing.
• Katusha-Alpecin: Nothing.
• UAE Team Emirates: Aru was 14th.
• The other wild card teams: Cofidis, Total Direct Energie.
• The UCI and the Commissaires: For tossing Luke Rowe and Tony Martin from the Tour.  This wouldn't have happened if they were French.
• ASO:  Yes, they put on the greatest race, but they cheapskates.  The total prize money for three weeks of racing is $2.6 million.  Compare this to Wimbledon ($49 million) or the Masters ($11 million).
• USA: Ben King was 62nd, Joey Rosskoph was 73rd, Chad Haga was 134th, and Tejay van Garderen crashed out.

Market Day in Saint Girons

Farmer's markets in the U.S. were quite rare 50 years ago, but the markets have become The tradition  quite popular over the last few decades.  Traditionally, French markets were a source of fresh fruit and vegetables, but now there are stalls for bread, cheeses, fish, and meat as well as clothes, crafts, and even books.  Most towns and large villages have a large market once a week.  Saturday is market day in Saint Girons.

A Week at Serre des Ormes

Serre des Ormes (http://www.serredesormes.co.uk) is a lovely little cycling lodge in the Hautes-Alpes region of France run by Paul and Kate, an English couple. The lodge is located in the Gorges de la Méouge just to the northeast of Mont Ventoux. While Mont Ventoux is the probably what attracts most cyclists to the region, there is really excellent riding and an abundance of cycling routes that leave from the doorstep of Serre des Ormes.  There is wonderful hiking for non-cyclists too.

Paul and Kate own a wonderfully renovated 18th century house (with a swimming pool).  There are two very large bedrooms and a third bedroom that is divided into two large rooms.  There is a dining room downstairs, where we ate breakfast (and dinner when the weather was bad one evening).  Evening meals are usually on the terrace.  Bicycles are stored in a secure garage, and Paul has a pretty complete workshop.  Bicycles can be rented in nearby Sault too.

Breakfasts were a bit more substantial than the typical French breakfast of coffee, bread, and juice—we always had porridge and eggs.  Fresh bread is delivered to Serre des Ormes every morning.  Dinner, wine, and dessert is served every evening.  Kate is an outstanding chef.  She uses locally grown, organic ingredients whenever possible.  While every dinner was outstanding, I think that the hit of the week was Kate's aubergines à la parmesane (eggplant parmesan). Even the avowed carnivores among us said that this meal was their favorite.

Day 1: The cycling was fantastic.  Kate took Matt and Devon (father-son team from the U.K.) and myself on a tour down the Gorges de la Méouge and then around a big loop north of Sisteron (https://www.relive.cc/view/2492150581).  We stopped about for a coffee at the hilltop town of Ventavon, where Paul caught up with us.  Paul and Kate took off when we reached the bottom of the Gorges de la Méouge.  Matt, Devon, and I followed up the gorge.  The climb up the gorge is not very difficult; however, the three of us suffered greatly from the remnants of last week's heat wave.  We were sufficiently cooked by the time we reached Serre des Ormes, where it was time for a cold drink and a nap.

Day 2: Col d'Araud, Col de Muse, and Col Saint Jean ( https://www.relive.cc/view/2494785041).   Une salad de chèvre chaud at the snack bar in Lachau—tasty!  The Col de Muse is narrow and steep, but there are very few cars.  There is a monument to a group of Resistance fighters who were tortured and murdered by the Nazis near the bottom of Col de Muse.  Thankfully, the weather cooled off a bit.  Mont Ventoux one—Matt and Devon zero.

Day 3:  The Tour of Jabron directions: make a left turn as you leave Serre des Ormes' driveway, head uphill (very gradual) for 15 kilometers to Séderon, make another left turn just past Séderon to climb over Col de la Pigière, descend 30 kilometers to Sisteron, make your way over to the Gorges de la Méouge, and ride back to Serre des Ormes (https://www.relive.cc/view/2497564067).  Fantastic ride with a very long downhill.

Day 4:  Resting up from the heat and three days of hard riding.

Day 5:  I rode with Simon (Scotland) from Eyguins (north of Sisteron).  We did a large loop through Aspremont and over Col de Bachassette (https://www.relive.cc/view/2503063400). Smooth roads with very little traffic, and the scenery was a bit more alpine.  Absolutely gorgeous!!!  This was the best ride of the week.  Matt and Devon conquered Ventoux.  It was Kate's night off so all of the guests (myself included) ate dinner in Sisteron.

Day 6: I had planned to ride a loop through Montbrun les Bains, over the top of Col de Macuègne, and back through Séderon to Serre des Ormes (https://www.relive.cc/view/2505892278).  I made it over Col de Mévoullon and Col d'Aulan with not difficulties.  I stopped to fill water bottles in Montbrun les Bains, a really cool little town that was built into the side of a hill/mountain.  The Col de Macuègne, longest climb of the day, starts off easy and then gets steep for about 5 kilometers, but there is a great view of Mont Ventoux from one of the hairpins.  There is a little village about 2 kilometers from the top of the climb where you can fill your water bottle and sit on a nice bench.  The climb is easy from village—or so I'm told.  About 200–300 meters past the village, I heard a bang and a hissing sound.  The rear tire was coming apart.  After about 5 minutes of effort, I decided that the tire was beyond repair and called Paul, who graciously drove up to give me a ride back.  Unfortunately, I missed the 20 kilometer descent back to Serre des Ormes.

It was a great week, and I definitely recommend Serre des Ormes to all cyclists—even cyclists with non-cycling partners.  Make your reservations early!