TdF stage 1: Kittel conquers as coach chaos causes carnage

Stage 1: Porto-Vecchio to Bastia, 212km

Marcel Kittel took his first career Tour victory ahead of Alexander Kristoff and 19-year-old Danny van Poppel as the Tour de France visited Corsica for the first time to open its 100th edition. But that doesn’t even begin to tell the tale of an opening stage which delivered as much drama as the whole of last year’s race, and whose result was shaped by an errant team bus.

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The Musette: Corsican chestnut and almond cake

This week’s recipe, for one of my cycling club staples, hails from the beautiful island of Corsica, where I enjoyed my first trip with the club back in 2007 just after acquiring my first road bike. We cycled on some of the roads which will feature in the first three stages of this year’s 100th Tour de France. The scenery is gorgeous, the countryside unspoilt and the roads are relatively quiet. In short, it’s a great spot for a cycling vacation. Continue reading