You're on your own... Tour Blog Stage 9 Preview

A flying finish to last night's medium mountain stage into Porrentruy, with a Pinot just ahead of the pack (a bit of Pinot out in front whilst I pen this too!.)

Evans showed some pure grit, but failed to make up any time on the yellow mutton-chop wearer, Wiggins. This will be where the action is tonight, too. After an outburst last night against twitter critics insinuating dopage, he'll be hoping for a clear head tonight to take a firm grip on the yellow jersey into the final two weeks. It's the 40km time-trial into Besançon tonight, so expect a rocking 50 minutes or so of solo energy.

OUR PICK: Wiggins will be looking to extend his lead, but expect Evans to peg back few seconds and perhaps even just snatch the maillot jaune tonight with a flying stage. For the stage win though, it'll be (once again) Fabian Cancellara with his Spartacus act over Tony Martin.

WHAT TO DRINK: Once again in the heart of natural wine country, the Jura, tonight it's time for a funky Jura red: the light and slightly 'meaty' Domaine Rolet Arbois Poulsard.

AUSSIE MATCH: A funky, natural red? Try our Mitchell Harris 2011 Sauvage Shiraz as your light and spicy little drop for the night. Cool-vintage grapes, tossed into the fermenter, and left largely to nature's whims. Unfined and unfiltered, it's a zingy, peppery Pyrenees Shiraz as nature intended.

(Email and soon-to-be-urban-cellar-door only folks!)

Sauvage: wild, untamed.

Ups and Downs...Tour Blog Stage 8

With Wiggins rocking the mutton-chops as well as the yellow jersey now, the boys invade Switzerland tonight as we enter the Jura mountains on the loopy stage from Belfort to Porrentruy. 5 climbs whilst still in France, and another 3 climbs in Switzerland. Of these, it's perhaps the last climb, the wicked Col de la Croix that might sort a few out tonight. After 141 km, it's a Category One climb and then a flying 16 km downhill to the arrivée. 

Image via SBS Skoda Tour Tracker App

Picking a winner is going to be super-tough tonight. Evans and Nibali will probably aim to use their downhill skills to try to peg back a few seconds on Wiggins, but overall Wiggins and a few others might have more to lose than gain tonight.

OUR PICK: Hmmm...we're tipping a breakaway to head off the swift Evans/Nibbly descent. Swiss Albasini will want a go in front of the home crowd, Sanchez will want to pick up a stage, but for our measly money... Voeckler

WHAT TO DRINK: Into the Jura mountains we're in serious, chunky, funky, cloudy orange wine or vin jaune country. Try a Chateau Chalon Vin Jaune with a hunk of Jura Comté cheese.

AUSSIE MATCH: Try the T'Gallant Claudius cloudy white if you dare, and if you can find it from the cellar door, or the more approachable, delicious, but definitely funky Flamsteed/Mackintosh chardonnay, Salo.

Head for the Hills it's Stage 7

The Carnage continues! Wow it's been a horror few days for quite a few riders with a few permanent casualties. Is it a case of too many young riders not respecting the conditions, or is everyone just as keen as curry to hang on? Either way, last night's bingle put a big dent in the hopes of a few campaigns.
If you saw any of the footage from last night's stage from Epernay to Metz, you'll see why all the teams with GC or other jersey contenders in them are working hard to keep their boys at the front and out of trouble.

It was another exciting finish to one of the last sprint stages for a while. Unfortunately one of Matt Goss's leadout men snapped a chain within a 100m or so of the line so he collected just another minor place. It was the 'young gorilla' Sagan who collected another stage win to shoot 31 points clear of Goss for the green sprinters jeursey. André Greipel who was involved in the a crash early in the stage did amazingly well to challenge Sagan for the win.

Tonight it is Stage 7 from Tomblaine to La Planche Des Belles Filles. This is where the GC contenders will come out to make their presence felt. Apart from a couple of Cat 3 climbs throughout the course, there is a nasty Cat 1 , 6 km climb to the finish with an average gradient of 8.5%. After the last few sprint stages, this is where it starts to get interesting, & where the real GC contenders come out to play.

Stage 7 predictions & tipples:

OUR PICK TO WIN: Cadel to show a bit of 'who's the boss' tonight I reckon. The BMC team will be keen to show the rest of the field that they are here to defend & win again!

DRINK: Located between Burgundy, Alsace and the Jura, it's a mixed bag of Vin de Pays here. Since it is a Saturday night, try a zippy Riesling a tight Chardonnay first and a light & spicy pinot later. 

AUSSIE MATCH: A bit of Vic high country Gewurztraminer from Deletite could be fun, or the brilliant Rodda Chard from Beechworth is always good. The Eastern Peak Pinot from the cool hills outside of Ballarat might get a splash tonight too!