The weather tried to get them, but the peloton rode away, then the rain came back, and then went away. No-one knew whether to take off the vest and arm warmers or keep them on. The decisions of a pro rider. FDJ and VCD again placed a man in the break away, with Moviestar missing out. In reality a pretty boring stage, apart from some of the stunning vistas from the chopper shots, and the persistent showers and spray the riders had to put up with. Voekler again put in a massive performance inside 2km to try to do it solo, but was eaten up by the group. Id suspect he'll try it again at some stage in the next 2 and a half weeks. In the end
Matt Goss almost got there for a stage victory in his 1st TDF, but was piped by SKY rider
The transition down to the Pyrenees begins with this relatively flat stage and something a lot more straightforward and typical of what almost every first-week stage at the Tour used to look like.
There is nothing to concern anyone as the race starts to turn south, so expect lots of sunflower shots, a long and probably fruitless breakaway and the sprinters going elbow to elbow at the finish. Mark Cavendish will have particularly happy memories of Châteauroux, as he claimed his first Tour stage win in the town back in 2008. Winner of four stages that year, this is one of just half a dozen opportunities he'll get in this edition.
Beer for the stage: Moo Brew Dark Ale. Representing a classic
American Brown Ale, this dark ale pours beautifully with a deep sherry-red hue. The palette has caramel and chocolate and a lightly roasted finish. Hop bitterness and aromatic character are balanced and pleasantly textured. The new brewery at Moo Brew is pumping out some fantastic beers, including limited releases and seasonal one-offs. Not suitable for bogans.
Bière locale:
Brasserie de la Pigeonnelle sits bang on the route for the stage around the 120km mark. Interestingly they do two styles of beer, a Blonde and an Amber, and they do a variation of each style producing four beers in total, varying in ABV from 5.5% to 8.5%. What better way to enjoy the tour than with a fresh beer, sitting in the sun (if the weather clears) right on the tour route.
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