Sunday will be a leisurely ride for the peloton, compared to the past few stages. It’s classified as “hilly,” with just three categorized climbs. (Although the final Cat 2 might prove disheartening to riders with tired legs.)
Stage 14 Recap (aka Has Pogacar Already Won the 2025 Tour?)
Saturday was a long day in the saddle in grim conditions. Four epic climbs forced the peloton into cold, rainy weather with limited visibility. The descents were fast and dangerous, usually fun for us spectators but today, somehow, just terrifying. After the second climb I didn’t care who won; I just wanted everybody to finish in one piece.
Grand Tour cycling dishes out its share of surprises, and today’s victory by Ineos rider Thymen Arensman was a welcome one. He launched an attack on the third climb of the day, up the Category 1 Col de Peyresourde, and managed to stay ahead of Pogacar and Vingegaard for 37 kms to the finish. What a day for him!
Now in third place overall, Florian Lipovitz looked fantastic, bringing dreams of a podium place in Paris closer to reality. Unfortunately, Remco Evenepoel, third in last year’s Tour, abandoned the race halfway through. He hadn’t looked good all day (or yesterday either) and it wasn’t a great surprise when he pulled to the side of the road and got into his team car. (Before doing so he handed his water bottle to a young fan who was cheering him on. Love that!)
About Carcassonne
Our arrival point for Stage 15 is home to two UNESCO World Heritage Sites: the medieval Cité de Carcassonne and the 17th century Canal du Midi. Both serve as potent reminders of the two most powerful forces in Southern France for centuries: the ruling authority of the Catholic Church and the economic engine of agriculture.
The Cité de Carcassonne was founded during the Gallo-Roman period, and has been occupied at various times by Romans, Visigoths, and Saracens. It was absorbed into the Kingdom of France in 1247, creating a secure buffer zone between the French frontier and the territory controlled by the Crown of Aragon. When the Treaty of the Pyrénées was signed in 1659, ending the war between France and Spain, the surrounding province of Roussillon became a part of France. As a result, the town’s strategic value as a military outpost declined, and it shifted its fortunes to the textile industry instead. Through strong preservation efforts during the 19th century, the city was saved from demolition and was designated as an historical monument. In 1997 UNESCO added Le Cité de Carcassonne to its list of World Heritage Sites.
A true marvel of engineering, Le Canal du Midi was instrumental in connecting wheat producers in Southern France with the commercial ports along the Atlantic coast. The canal links the Mediterranean Sea with the Garonne River to the north, via the Canal de Garonne. The Garonne River, which runs through the famed vineyards of Bordeaux, serves as the final link in the chain, making it possible to transfer goods from the agricultural centers in the south to the Atlantic shipping channels. The project’s biggest sponsor was King Louis XIV, who ceded both ownership and authority of the land for the canal to the organization overseeing its implementation. In 1996 it, too, was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Rare Orange Wine from Château Maris and Sustainable Seafood from Crave Fishbar in NYC
Recently Gabe and I met friends for dinner at a new-to-us restaurant, Crave Fishbar on the Upper West Side. It’s a unique concept that I appreciate:
We are NYC’s first 100% sustainable seafood restaurant and proud partners of Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch program and James Beard’s Smart Catch, serving only wild-caught, sustainable, and responsibly farmed seafood.
Our table enjoyed a dozen oysters (a mix of east- and west-coast varieties) and watermelon salad with toasted quinoa and feta. Gabe and I shared Arctic Char Crispy Rice with tahini jalapeno yuzu sauce, serrano chili, sesame, and dill; and Salmon Sashimi Tostadas with avocado purée, Calabrian chili oil, grapefruit, and crispy shallots.
Absolutely delicious!
To pair with the food, I chose a glass of Rare Orange wine from Château Maris in the Minervois region, not far from our destination in Stage 15.
Made from Muscat à Petit Grains, Rare Orange garners its deep apricot color from limited exposure of the juice to the grape skins and seeds, which also imparts a subtle tannic texture to the finished wine.
Our array of dishes ranged from mild to spicy, savory to sweet, and the Rare Orange kept pace with each bite. It was at once earthy and refreshing, with tangy citrus and peach notes underpinned by an umami quality. Wonderful to sip on its own, and delicious with our seafood extravaganza. I look forward to repeating both experiences again soon! And, by the way, Château Maris has been a Certified B-Corporation since 2016 and is also certified by Demeter. You can read more about their environmental commitments here.
Enjoy the ride to Carcassonne (and hopefully, a sip of Rare Orange from Château Maris!) Monday is a rest day for the peloton, but I’ll be back soon with info on Stage 16 and the attack on Mont Ventoux. Cheers!
The Swirling Dervish 