On Friday’s Stage 7, tired legs led to silly crashes, none of which appeared to have affected the contenders for the yellow jersey. But after a week of long stages, many of which included multiple climbs stacked in the last kilometers, the riders may be ready for a break. Unfortunately, they won’t get one until Tuesday.

As the leaders climbed the Mûr de Bretagne for the second time, Tadej Pogaçar found an extra gear and blasted past his rivals toward the finish. Right on his wheel was Jonas Vingegaard, who seems able to answer every challenge the Slovenian throws at him. Rounding out the top five were Oscar Onley (a British rider from Picnic Post), Felix Gall (Austrian; Decathlon-AG2R), and American rider Matteo Jorgenson, Vingegaard’s teammate from Visma-Leaseabike.

In the fight for yellow, Tadej reigns, with Evenepoel, Kevin Vauquelin, Vingegaard, and Mathieu Van Der Poel just behind. I was delighted to see Vauquelin, who rides for the French team Arkea, among the top riders. Wishing him all the best as we head into the mountains next week.

What Lies Ahead in Stage 8

I predict Saturday will be a day for the breakaway riders. The course is super-flat and, unless Tadej wants to play winner-take-all, a small group without any of the GC contenders might be allowed to go ahead of the peloton. Plus, let’s look ahead to Monday’s stage, which will be brutal: eight categorized climbs in the Massif Central. They’ll be navigating the vertiginous slopes of the Puy de Dôme, an extinct volcano with tiny roads rising into the clouds. Most teams would be smart to conserve their energy before then.

Tour de France By the Glass Recommendation: Rack of Lamb and 2018 Lilian Ladouys Saint-Estèphe

If you’re eating locally in Bretagne, please refer to yesterday’s post, which pairs local oysters with a lovely Muscadet from the nearby Loire Valley. For Saturday’s stage, I’m thinking of the delicious rack of lamb from the sea-soaked fields surrounding Mont-Saint-Michel.

This mountaintop cathedral sits in the ocean and is accessible only at low tide which, coincidentally, is when the sheep come to graze on sea grass and kelp that dries under the sun. Known as the pré salé or salty meadow, it is said to impart a delicate saline quality to the meat of animals from the region. I’ve never had it myself, but I do love a good lamb chop! And what’s better with lamb than a left-Bank Bordeaux? Here’s a Cru Bourgeois Exceptionnel from Château Lilian Ladouys that overdelivers for the price.

And for dessert, why not try the region’s famous Kouign-Amann, a salty-sugary puff pastry confection that is the perfect combo of crunchy and doughy textures?

According to All Recipes:

Kouign-Amann is pronounced “queen-a-mahn” and wouldn’t be one of the world’s greatest pastries if it weren’t a legendary labor of love. The irresistible combination of sweet, salty, sticky, buttery, crispy, flaky, and tender is something you must experience to believe. Made with bread flour, the dough is a little different from croissants or puff pastry. Salt is also key here; the authentic ones are about as savory as they are sweet.

Here’s a link to the recipe!

Enjoy Stage 8. I’ll be back tomorrow to recap the race and to preview what’s happening on Sunday. And, of course, I’ll have the perfect wine to sip as you watch!