Stage 13 of the Tour de France and it is a 192.6km long flat race that starts in Le Bourg d'Oisans and ends in Saint-Étienne.
The Map
Sights and points of interest along the route
Le Bourg d'Oisans was passed through yesterday on the route and is today's starting town. It is famous for its slate and minerals, including crystals, and has a rare environment with approximately one-third being part of the Ecrins National Park. In the attic of Saint Laurent Church is the Museum of Minerals and Wildlife in the Alps and is a reception centre for the Ecrins National Park.
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| Le Bourg d'Oisans |
The first town on today's route is Livet-et-Gayet, which has the Vernes Hydroelectric Power Station built in 1917. Onto Séchilienne which has suffered a major landslide and then Vizille with its 15th century castle which originally was the home of François de Bonne (1543-1626) is currently home of the Museum of the French Revolution. Eybens and Grenoble are next with velodome, sports stadiums and 16th century Fort de la Bastille. Sassenage, where one of its three castles is now the Town Hall. Just under one-third of the way on the route is Veurey-Voroize, with the headquarters of the daily newspaper Le Dauphiné Libéré and 13th century Tour des Templiers, which is almost square at 15m by 13m but was not recognised as a commandery of the Templar order until 1314. There is also 12th century Notre-Dame-de-Chalais Abbey.
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| Notre-Dame-de-Chalais Abbey |
Onto Tullins-Fures which was once industrious in the hemp cloth, silk, metallurgy and paper making industries before the race takes in Saint-Étienne-de-Saint-Geoirs, the birthplace of Louis Mandrin, the most famous smuggler of the 18th century who was arrested, sentenced to death and executed in Valence at the age of 30. His story has inspired TV and film on several occasions. 13th century Bressieux Castle in the town of Saint-Siméon-de-Bressieux is free to visit all year round.
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| Bressieux Castle |
The next town, La Côte-Saint-André was the birthplace of composer Hector Berloiz and a museum is dedicated to him and his life. He is buried in the Montmartre cemetery in Paris, a place which I visited many years ago during a weekend visit to Paris. I didn't see his grave but I did see that of Adolphe Sax. Vienne is about 136km into today's route and has been in existence since the year dot, the first century and has an old Roman theatre which seats about 13,000 and is still in use today during the summer months.
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| Vienne |
Onto Sainte-Colombe, with local vineyards and Rive-de-Gier, famous for its glass and Duralex factory, which manufactures glasses, cups, tableware etc. The next town is Lorette, birth town of Alain Prost, French Formula 1 racing driver. Saint-Chamond is about 15km from the end of today's race and is famous for its 19th century lace factories and also for Creusot-Loire, an engineering company that specialises in railway engineering, trains, trams and high-speed trains. Sorbiers is was the new home of Kazakh rider Andrei Kivilev when he settled in France. He was 4th in the 2001 Tour de France, and was killed during the Paris-Nice race of 2003 and is buried in Sorbiers.
The race ends in Saint-Étienne, the city of design. In 1765 a great arms factory was built with approval of King Louis XV and it supplied French troops with ammunition. There are a couple of art museums, the Couriot Shaft and Mine Museum and also the Geoffroy-Guichard Stadium, which hosted the Euro 2016.
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| Saint-Étienne |
Who Won the Stage and Who Won What Jersey
The Stage winner is Mads Pedersen for Trek-Segafredo/USA.
The Yellow Jersey won by Jonas Vingegaard for Jumbo-Visma
The Green Jersey won by Wout van Aert for Jumbo-Visma.
The Polka Dot Jersey won by Simon Geschke for Cofidis/FRA.
The White Jersey won by Tadej Pogacar for UAE Team Emirates.
Combatif Award won by Mads Pedersen for Trek-Segafredo/USA.
Leading team: Ineos-Grenadiers
The Challenge: After a well-deserved flat section the riders will be wheeling in to Saint-Étienne at the end of today. Saint-Étienne is twinned with Coventry; both locations known for their intense industry in the 1800s.
Today's challenge is related to the fact of the day; we're going a bit foody! Can you make a yarn look like a cake? Use colour and texture to see if it is even remotely possible! Maybe there is a specific shade that makes you hungry, or perhaps some nepps give the effect of sprinkles? Extra points if you can find a Coventry Godcake (and eat it).
Suggested Fibre: Buttery Biscuit Base - of course! A buttery blend of Blue-Faced Leicester topped with some shimmery sweet kid mohair. Don't eat it...
What I did
One of the the fibres I purchased last month is called Crumpet Tweed and it's a kind of pale peachy colour so I will use that to make something that resembles sponge cake with sprinkles on top as it's the only one I can think of that fits the bill.
I found this one a little difficult to spin due to the sheer amount of nepps in the wool. It is 80% South American Wool, 20% Viscose fibre. I found a bowl, stuffed a tea towel inside and sat the yarn on top with a red-orange ball to make it look like a cherry topped cake.
The finished yarn is 148m of worsted weight yarn which in terms of the TdF length calculations is 444m - 2 singles plus the plied length = 3 x finished yarn length.
