Tour De Brew - Stage 21 Yellow for Cadel

Congratulations Cadel!

Its a situation that heros stand up in. A need to step up to the plate and deliver in a given moment in order to succeed. No-one else can help you, everything that has happened before is irrelevant and it is in that moment that ultimately defines your success.

57 seconds was all he needed to swipe the jersey off Andy Pandy, and well, judging by the look of terror on young Andys' face in the starting box, he knew something was up. In a near clinical performance (HTCs' Tony Martin managed to find 7 secs out on course to come in quicker on the stage) Cadel not only sucked up the time, but delivered a couple of stunning combinations that left the Schlecks reeling against the ropes. He was simply sensational.

He knew what he needed to do.

What the reward was.

And most importantly how best to go about it.

When it mattered in this years tour, Cadel took things into his own hands. Whilst BMC supported him fantastically and ultimately delivered him to the win, when the hills got steeper and the pack thinned out, Cadel relied on no-one else to protect him, respond to attacks or pace him back into contention. It was all about Cadel, not anyone else.

I think he genuinely surprised the Schleck sisters with his tenacity and refusal to wither to their double act (bad luck fellas!), and Contador failed to intimidate Cadel or the other contenders like in previous years. I have no doubt that in Tommy Voekler carrying the mantle of the Malliot Jaune for as long as he did, Cadel sidestepped the hype, pressure and responsibility that is carried with the jersey. This allowed him to concentrate on the racing, cover the opposition and protect his team from burying themselves day in - day out had he had yellow on his shoulders.

Well done mate, you beat the best riders, in the biggest race, and no-one will ever take that away from you. So tonight, as the peleton rolls into Paris and team BMC lead them onto the Champes Elysees, stand up, raise your glass and salute a man who has arguably achieved the greatest individual sporting result this country has ever seen! Fact.

Stage 21

95km of glory. Sure Cavendish will have to fight to keep Green, but really, with yellow in the bag for Cadel, this is just a chance to check out how Paris is looking this time of year and to wait up for the anthem and ceremony.

Beer for the Stage: Bugger it, go with a Champagne or two.

Beer Locale: Whatever you can get you hands on

Tour De Brew - Stage 20 Cadels playground

Stage 19 Review:

Stage 20: Grenoble ITT 42.5km

As in recent seasons, the yellow jersey has still been up for grabs going into the final time trial. This course will prove an inspired choice. Anyone who's got some significant strength left in their legs will feature today. The rolling course, which includes the opening part of the climb to Chamrousse, is quite technical especially with the descents, so Evans could get time over Andy Pandy and Frank the Snake. The podium places will finally be settled today. I can’t see many people beating Cancellara, unlike the GC guys he’ll have been able to take it fairly easy the last couple of days.

Beer for the stage: As close to champagne as you can get, Deus is first brewed at Bosteels, transfered to the Champagne region of France were it is treated much like a champagne with the bottles inverted and the yeast expunged and bottle recorked. The palate is creamy-smooth, fruity and malty-sweet, and the finish is clean with characteristic beer bitterness. Grab one(or three) and toast Cadel

Biere Locale: Don’t worry about it, hot foot it to Paris to celebrate with Cadel

Tour De Brew - Stage 19

Stage 18 Review: Was Andy Schleck foxing with the other guys in previous days or did he do one of the most courageous and impressive rides in modern tour history. On the slopes of the Izoard (where 3-time Tour winner Louison Bobet said great riders made their reputations), Andy Schleck rode away from the field. At one point on the windy Galibier he had more than 4 minutes on the yellow jersey group.

The domestiques of the other contenders were unable to reel in Schleck and on the Galibier Cadel took the responsibility of containing the growing threat. With Basso, Voeckler, Contador, and Cunego sitting on his wheel, Evans stayed at the front and hammered away. Contador, having another jour sans, was dropped near the finish, losing nearly 4 minutes. Schleck soloed in for an amazing victory after being off the front for 60 kilometers. Voeckler just about nailed himself to the cross, holding Evans' wheel, making it clear the whole chase that he would not put his nose in the wind. He reward was another day in yellow.

Frank the Snake had an armchair ride all day to sprint away in the last 150m to gain some seconds on Cadel, and finish 2nd for the stage. If he doesn’t win on Alpe d’Huez, something is seriously wrong, as he’ll be as very fresh.

Cadel took back 2 minutes from Andy on the Galibier climb, showing that he has the legs to counter attacks that will certainly come on stage 19. He defiantly has some work to do to minimise his losses and hold onto a position that gives him the best possible crack at gaining yellow in Grenoble of Saturday.

Stage 19: Modane – Alpe d’Huez 109.5km

The rider who wins on Alpe-d'Huez often goes on to win in Paris, as Carlos Sastre underlined in 2008. With just two stages to follow, this could turn into a 109.5km mountain sprint.

There is little chance to warm up before the course reaches the 34km ascent comprising the Télégraphe and the epic north face of the Galibier. There are sure to be some breaks, with riders hoping they can defend their advantage on the long descent into Bourg d'oisans and onto the first ramps of the alpe, where the winner will climb into Tour history.

Beer for the stage: Van Dieman Jacobs Ladder Amber Ale. Alpe d’Huez, switchbacks and Jacobs Ladder all go hand in hand. Named after the access road to the ski village on Ben Lomond in northern Tasmania, this beer provides a smooth malty character with delicate caramel and toffee notes and a medium body sweetness. Some drivers have been known to carry a bottle of Jacobs ladder in the car going up the road instead on snow chains, the jury’s open as to which has more advantages.

Above: Jacobs Ladder

Biere Locale: Biere de Alps, located in Vallouise (340km fro Alpe d’Huez) has a cracking range of beers, and having tasted most of them, I can defiantly vouch for their quality. A white, blonde, amber and stout are the mainstream beers produced, but they also do couple of seasonals. The classic whit beer is a beauty, perfect for quenching your thirst after a long climb in the Alps.

Cheers

Tour De Brew - Stage 18

Stage 17 Review: Edvald Boasson Hagen attacked out of an early break on the day's final climb, the Pramartino. He then skillfully raced down the extremely difficult descent for his second stage win this year. Further back, Alberto Contador attacked twice on the Pramartino, but the Schleck sisters and Evans covered him both times.

On the descent Contador escaped with Sammy Sanchez, but Cadel led a measured chase to bring the bulk of the contenders, including the Schlecks, back together inside the finishing straight. Thomas Voeckler overcooked corners twice, at one stage parking the bike in a roadside carpark on the descent, and was unable to chase back on, costing him 27 seconds. Not enough to lose the lead, but enough to suggest that he is losing his grip on this years title.

This is a terrific article by Blazzin Saddles posing the question “Is Thomas Voeckler most exciting maillot jaune since, erm, Thomas Voeckler in 2004?

Stage 18: Pinerolo - Galibier 200.5km

There probably haven't been many, if any, occasions when the Izoard has been the smallest climb on the day's itinerary, which sums up just how extraordinary this stage is. Starting with the ascent of the huge Agnel climb (23.7km @ 6.5%), "the roof" of this year's Tour, then passing over the spectacular Izoard (14.1km @ 7.3%) , the day culminates with the ascent to the Tour's highest-ever finish on the summit of the Galibier (23km @ 5.1%). It will be of little consolation to most that this is reached from its easier side. The last 8.5km are tough and should see an intense battle between the podium contenders. Contador will do everything in his power to break them up and consolidate on a attacks, whether this happens on the 1^st, 2^nd or 3^rd HC climb will be anyone’s guess.

Start pumping the coffees into you now, because this is THE stage of the tour not to miss, especially with the Alpe d’Huez tomorrow.

The view from the Col du Galibier at 2645m. It’s been Christian Prudhomme’s mission to have a mountain top finish here since he became in charge of the TdF. This will be the century celebration of the mountain’s first appearance in the TdF in 1911. This will be the first time that the finish line has been held at the top of the Galibier.

Beer for the stage: With such a pincale stage, why not set the standard high and try to find a Westvleteren 12. A monster 10.5% quadrupl, widely regarded as one of the best beers in the world. Mahogany color with a small off white head. Nose is dark fruity, light must, hints of yeast and prunes. Palate is rich and malty - bitter chocolate, cherries, figs, raisins, and the sweet toffee like malty character you expect in a belgian dark strong. Extremely complex and impressive quad. I was absolutely impressed at how well the alcohol is masked.

Biere Locale: Something Italian this time around. The BEBA brewery in Villar Perosa, just up the road from the start town of Pinerolo, prouce a range of 6 beers, 3 lighter styles including a lager and 3 stronger dark malt beers.

Cheers.

Tour De Brew - Stage 17

Stage 16 review: This stage was just meant to be about the breakaway or a solo effort. Nope. Instead the GC guys were called upon to lay claim to this years title. Midway up the day's climb, the 2nd category Col de Manse, Alberto Contador delivered a shock to the system. He jumped hard, catching everyone asleep at the wheel. The move was covered, so near the top he lit the jets again and only Samuel Sanchez and Cadel Evans could go with him.

They went over the top with more than a half minute lead. On the tricky, wet descent Evans got away and held a small gap to the finish. The Schlecks were no match for the Evans group on the technical descent and both lost time, Andy particularly. Voeckler finally saw an attack he couldn't handle, but he has retained the lead after a hard stage.

Up ahead, Hushovd was the best of an early escape that broke up on the climb, overpowering Edvald Boasson Hagen with the aid of teammate Ryder Hesjedal. Sets it up beautifully for the next 3 days in the Alps.

Stage 17
: Gap – Pinerolo
 
179km

The race heads into Italy via the Montgenèvre pass, climbs to Sestrières and then features a late complicating factor in the shape of the 7km Pramartino climb, off which the road descends steeply into the finish in Pinerolo.

The overall contenders are likely to wait until that last test before making any move today but the temptation for most will surely be to hold something back for the epic test the next day. That once again gives breakaway riders another good chance of going all the way to the finish. In fact, it is likely to be their final opportunity to do so.

Beer for the Stage: Van Dieman Little Hell ESB. Just released for winter 2011, we’ve designed this beer to get you through the cold winter nights, which lets be honest, is what we’re all doing at the moment. It begins with warm, spicy aromas leading into a rolling dried apricot and marmalade flavour with a polished residual malty sweetness. A sassy bitterness is achieved from dry hopping presenting a hellishly good example of the style.

Biere Locale: Brasserie Artisanale Des Grands Cols is in Briançon, at exactly the halfway point of today’s stage, perhaps appropriately with the feed station at this point. They produce a Witbier, Belgian pale ale and 2 spiced beers, but I’m suggesting none of the riders will be partaking in any consumption.

Tour De Brew - Stage 16

Stage 16:

This stage can be described as “the calm before the storm”. A relatively straight forward approach into the Alps with the only notable point the Cat 2 climb Col de Manse 10km from the finish The overall contenders will be happy to save themselves for three much-tougher days to come, which all but guarantees a break going early and staying clear all the way to the finish. The road rises steadily all the way until the main difficulty of the day, the Col de Manse. At almost 10km, this climb is long enough to split the lead group. The drop from it into the finish takes in the Rochette descent where Joseba Beloki memorably came to grief in 2003 and Lance Armstrong went bush.

Beer for the Stage: 4 Pines Hefeweizen. A German born wheat beer. Cloudy pale straw in appearance, mild sweet fruity nose with hints of banana exhibiting a well rounded palate showing characters of banana and spice. 4 pines also do a Space Beer, that’s right. Currently being tested to become the first certified ‘space beer’ in the world!

Back in 2003, an experimental batch of 4 pines space beer was lost in transit in Russia. The details are sketchy, but it was rumored to have made its way into the hands of the elite cycling team ONCE. They apparently utilized its performance enhancing capabilities prior to Stage 9, but misjudged the quantities, with Jose Beloki given far too much and the results were devastating. See video of the incident. It’s probably for this reason its taken this long for Space beer to pop its head back up.

Biere Locale: La Girhete is a small brewery in Nyons, 36km into the stage. They do a White ale and a Blonde, which has a dash of anise added to it. Interesting.

Tour De Brew - Rest Day

Stage 15 review: The day's break was gobbled up until the stage had only about 3 kilometers to go. Then, just as it looked like the sprinters' teams would be in control, Philippe Gilbert blasted off. He was caught in time for HTC-Highroad to do another flawless leadout for Cavendish. The photo below doesn't do justice to how clearly Cavendish beat the others. It was his fourth Tour victory this year and his 19th career Tour win.

Rest Day: The riders will have been looking forward to this 2nd rest day of 2011, especially those who just made it over the Pyrenees. This gives us a chance to reflect on what has certainly been a fascinating tour up to this stage, and thats without too much happening between the big GC contenders.

Withdrawals: Boonen, Vinokourov, Brajkovic, Van den Broeck, Zabriskie, sadly the list goes on. Seems like just the other day the talk was about the various odds these riders were facing. It's unfortunate how badly things have turned out for so many riders at this year's Tour. Surgeries, hospital stays, possible career ending moments have punctuated the landscape in this year's race.

T. Voekler: We often think of guys like Alberto Contador and Andy Schleck and Ivan Basso and Cadel Evans as the real stars of the steeps. Yet none of them could shake the maillot jaune from their wheels on a bright Saturday afternoon in the Pyrenees. Holding his own on pitches measured over 10% grade, Voeckler matched every acceleration like the wily veteran he is.

When Voeckler took the jersey this year, it was little more than a feel-good story starring one of the only heroes long-suffering French fans have had in the past decade. Conventional wisdom held that the Europcar leader would shed minutes with each passing climb.

That wisdom has been thrown out the window with the events of Stage 14. Sure, it could still turn out to be a prescient hypothesis of his future fate. But as Paris gets closer with each stage completed, the opportunities for the men we presumed to be the legitimate contenders pass by unused.

So French fans, and cycling fans everywhere, are being treated to a feel-good story that has proven to have staying power. The question is no longer when Voeckler will lose the yellow jersey, but if he will lose it before the Champs-Elysées.

We thought he would never be able to hang with the best in the mountains. Most still believe that, should he still hold on through the Alps, the time trial will be his undoing. But Voeckler has proved us wrong before… and this new vintage has proven bolder, stronger and more legitimate than ever before.

Johnny Hoogerland cut a stark image as he suffered to the line after Stage 10. With the amount of casualties that we've seen in this year's race it is all too easily imagined that maybe he or Flecha could have died after their run in with a French TV car. Johnny Hoogerland, like Roger De Vlaeminck and Sean Kelly in their respective day will forever be remembered as true hardmen of the sport. Very few riders can pull themselves from the gutter of a wreck like that, much less ride on to the finish line and collect the King of the Mountain's jersey.

Tour De Brew - Stage 15

Blog all completed, hit publish post, and the wonders of computers and the internet managed to somehow delete all that was there to see. I hate technology sometimes.

Time for a Moo Brew Imperial Stout 2010 vintage, very good, just finished one, now will def need another!

Stage 16 tomorrow morning.

Cheers

Tour De Brew - Stage 14

Stage 13: Saint-Gaudens - Plateau de Beille 168.5KM

Each time the peloton has climbed Plateau de Beille, 3 times, the stage winner has gone on to claim the yellow jersey in Paris. Will today's winner follow Marco Pantani (1998), Lance Armstrong (2002) and Alberto Contador (2007)? They just might, thanks to the five categorised climbs that precede the final summit ascent. At almost 16km and with a gradient just below 8 per cent, the final climb is long and tough enough for the leaders to overhaul any breakaways and dispute the day's spoils between them. I'd expect the GC contenders to lay claim to the title on tonight’s stage, with the tag team Schleck duo doing the damage in the end.

Beer for the stage: Stone Imperial Russian Stout 10.5%

Wow, not short on intensely aromatic notes featuring plenty of roasted character, coffee, anise and of course warming alcohols. Thick and heavy on the palate, it punches a hefty smack in the chops and if your game to get through the entire bottle I can speak from experience, you'll know about it.

*thats not me in the photo above, just some bloke savoring the experience

So similar to engine oil in consistancy, this Imperial Stout is often used by Garmin-Cervelo as a substitute chain lubricant. The mechanics also pour the beer into moulds and let it "set" by baking it in an oven for 23 minutes and they are then used as brake pads for extended descents given their durability.

Bière locale: Brasserie Artisanale d'Ariège Pyrénées. Established in 2005 in Saint-Girons, 10km off route, the 10hL systems produces a good range including a lager, amber, wheat beer and dark ale. Open to the public, yet another good chance to sip on some local brew, and maybe even help out with the polishing by the looks of it.

Cheers

Tour De Brew - Stage 13

SBS's Anthony Tan summarised the 12th stage very well "We still don’t know who’s going to win the Tour de France but we do have a better idea of who’s in contention".

Another early break, another couple of stacks, some inspired riding from individuals and the GC guys sizing each other up, thats about stage 12. Frank Schleck looked significantly stronger than brother Andy, Ivan Basso snuck under the radar, Voekler found some guts, Evans countered when required and Contador showed that he's not in the form of the previous few tours. Voekler will retain the yellow jersey, but for how much longer? I'd suggest not too much.

Stage 13: Pau - Lourdes 156KM

Although the home riders will have been motivated to show themselves on the Bastille Day stage to Luz-Ardiden, today's run between Pau and Lourdes appears to suit them better. Not only is there no summit finish on this Pyrenean day, but it only features the climb of the Aubisque.

Although a Tour classic, its summit is 50km from the finish. Add all that together and the Tour's leading performers are sure to keep their powder dry, which should give French riders the opportunity they need. Fédrigo has won twice on stages like this while Voeckler has impressed too.

Vin Denson says... "Aubisque is huge but far from the finish. I don't see the winner being a yellow jersey contender. Someone who had deliberately put themselves out of contention, maybe one of the Spanish climbers, will want to smash it open early on”

Beer for the stage: Sierra Nevada Pale Ale. A delightful interpretation of a classic style. It has a deep amber color and an exceptionally full-bodied, complex character. Generous quantities of premium Cascade hops give the Pale Ale its fragrant bouquet and spicy flavor. A cracker for the mountains.

Bière locale: Brasserie BASABÜRÜA in the small village of Licq-Atherey, about 30km from the route, produce an amber, blonde and white ale. Shocking website, probably best to drop by if your in the area and make your mind up for yourself.

Cheers