Sarnonico - Vittorio Veneto 208 km
A middle day, presumably one for a harmless breakaway to ride away as the favorites and sprinters rest up for more craZy mountain adventures tomorrow.
Amy's wine tip for the day: Maculan Marzemino 2010
First off: marzemino. Wiikipedia tells me that "Marzemino is a red Italian wine grape variety that is primarily grown around Isera, south of Trentino. The wine is most noted for its mention in the opera Don Giovanni of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart ("Versa il vino! Eccellente Marzemino!"). Wine produced from the grape has a characteristic dark tint and light plummy taste."
From the color, I was expecting something very full and rich. Instead, plums and spice, with more acidity than I would have thought. That was day one, on day two this wine came alive. What had seemed acidity and muted had become full and rich. Food pairing? More air? Moon cycle? Who knows, but there were the fruit and intensity that I had expected.
Il Big del Giorno: Lars Bak
I have to appease the Danes. They have been hoping and talking of the day he gets in a winning break. In honesty, he is the very type of riders who has the toughness to muster the energy and focus to get in the morning break on a day like this and we know he has the smarts to finish it off.