Awards and citations:


1997: Le Prix du Champagne Lanson Noble Cuvée Award for investigations into Champagne for the Millennium investment scams

2001: Le Prix Champagne Lanson Ivory Award for investdrinks.org

2011: Vindic d'Or MMXI – 'Meilleur blog anti-1855'

2011: Robert M. Parker, Jnr: ‘This blogger...’:

2012: Born Digital Wine Awards: No Pay No Jay – best investigative wine story

2012: International Wine Challenge – Personality of the Year Award




Sunday 22 July 2012

2012 Tour de France: Bradley Wiggins' coronation + win No 23 for Cav?


The Tour's short final stage – 120K from Rambouillet to the Champs Élysée – is now largely a procession with no further attacks on the Yellow Jersey. The racing only starts once the riders reach the Champs Élysée, where the race customarily finishes in a bunch sprint. Assuming that the Sky train is in full working order another victory for Mark Cavendish looks more than probable. What a great double with Bradley Wiggins' confirmation (barring accidents) as winner of the 2012 Tour de France this would be! 

Cav has been involved in just three bunch sprints this year. He has won two – Tournai and Brive – but lost out to Griepel at Saint-Quentin, which was a tough uphill finish and came the day after Cav had been involved in a crash on the approach to Rouen. In the intermediate sprints that he contested, Cav was also the fastest and, to date, Peter Sagan hasn't managed to beat him in a sprint.

Can Mark Cavendish make it four wins in a row in Paris or will André Griepel or Peter Sagan or Matthew Goss spoil Sky's party? We will soon know! 

Meanwhile here is a great footage with very evocative French commentary of the end of Stage 18 and Cav's win in Brive. 


Also audio of Bradley Wiggins' press conference yesterday.    

   

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