After yesterday's stage some people are surprised by the cool, calm and casual mannerisms of the new leader of the Tour de France but Andy Schleck insists that there’s nothing for him to stress about… not just yet."It was quite an easy day even if it was fast at the beginning. It was a breakaway day so we took it kind of easy behind. Okay, there was a lot of wind so the team had to do some work all the way to Gap but it wasn’t too stressful. I had a little bit of time to enjoy my first day in the yellow jersey.
“I can tell you the first hour was really hard but after the breakaway was gone it was okay. I was quite nervous on the last downhill, it was a bit dangerous but for the rest of the day it was good.
“It was not a day for me to do anything. Even if it was quite up and down, there was nothing for me to achieve. I was lucky because I had bad legs from yesterday and so did all the others who actually rode really hard yesterday.
“There’s not really anything to stress about right now. I enjoy my yellow jersey, I enjoy having every one around… I enjoy the atmosphere in the team and having the guys working so well for me. Of course I’m happy and relaxed. I know there’s hard work coming up but that’s what I’ve been training for since the Tour ended in Paris last year.”
Today, the eleventh stage of the Tour, there will be some respite for the sprinters
The organisers could have decided on another very tough stage in the Alpine foothills, which would have led to more struggles for the ascendancy, but that would have been pointless. The riders will have had three or four significant days at the start of the race, before encountering four fairly difficult days. As a result, this route, which sets off from Sisteron (with its citadel) for a finish in the Drôme, does not include any obstacles that should prevent a sprint finish, despite the presence of the Col de Cabre pass.
Today's starting point: Sisteron
• Stage town for the first time
• Population: 8,000
• County town of Alpes-de-Haute-Provence canton (04)
Riders of Paris-Nice are familiar with Sisteron, as the race regularly stops off here, but it’s a major first for the Tour. At the start in Sisteron, the caravan will be able to admire the panoramic, breathtaking views from the citadel that towers above the town and Tour followers will be able to sample the tasty lamb, a local speciality for which the “Gateway to Provence” is renowned. As for the riders, they will perhaps have a thought for poet Paul Arène, a native of the town and author of a work called “From the Alps to the Pyrenees”.
For the first time in its history, the gem of Upper Provence will have the honour of featuring in the Tour de France. At the frontier between the landscapes of the Alps and Southern France, between the lands of the Dauphiné and Provence, the home town of poet Paul Arène is an appealing place that can boast an average of 300 days of sunshine per year. It is also a gourmet place, thanks to the produce of its land, whose tender lamb and sweet apples are much appreciated by epicureans. Sturdily anchored on the foundations of its rich past symbolised by its monumental citadel with a 12th century keep, it is nevertheless a town that evolves with the times. Embraced by the waters of the Durance, shaken by the assaults of the Mistral winds, illuminated by the vibrant light of Upper Provence, “there emanates from this town an astonishing force, the force of eternity on the march that nothing can stop, not even the end of the world”, as novelist and journalist Franz-Olivier Giesbert once wrote. A stay in Sisteron is a must, and visitors receive a winning welcome… especially the champions of cycling.Click on Link:
