Calamari e Limoni Fritti, Domenico

Andorra

Today's stage leaves Barcelona and climbs through the pyrenees into the tiny duty-free principality of Andorra, where you can snowboard in the winter.

Today, try another Catalonian wine, Alvaro Palacios' Les Terasses, a chocolatey red blend of garnacha, and cab, with some lovely cocido, a rich stew made with pork and chick peas and slow cooked. At these altitudes, you need something hearty.

Return to Olympic Victory--Barcelona!

Today's stage bring's the boys to the Costa Brava and Barcelona, the Catalan capitol. Looks like it's raining and Garmin's David Millar is in the break.

It's still going to be too soon today to see what Lance can do in the mountains, but if he's not in form, there are Contador, Kloden, and Leipheimer to take over. Lance could just have it. His climbing got better and better during the Giro d'Italia. Lance was an Olympic cyclist at the Barcelona Olympics, so this area has to have good memories for him. A lot of the big cyclists live at least part of their year training in Spain. Why? The Pyrennees. Look for some big mountain stages there in the days to come.

How about a bit of fizz? Start a long evening of tapas bar hopping in Barcelona with a glass of Mata Reserva Barrica from Agusti Torelli. Oh, it'll cost ya, but since this is a virtual wine and food tour, enjoy! Here's to an already thrilling Tour de France!

Salvador Dali's Centre du Monde

Today could finish with Lance in Yellow, in the last major town in France before we enter Spain and the food and wine flavor profile changes. Splurge with a lovely big red like a Domaine Gauby Cotes du Roussillon Villages Muntada, and pair it with a big steak, a bit of lamb, or a cassoulet, a stew, which here become spicier with Spanish-style sausage.

Almost the entire second half of this stage is flat and right by the Med, the part the French call the Golfe du Lion. We're getting near the Pyrennees, where we'll see how good Lance's form really is. Right now looks like Saxobank and Astana are duelling it out with 38 miles to go. We'll probably see the adorable Cav hit the finish line first, but will anything in the GC change? Crosswinds could again make a split in the field, but look for Armstrong and Cancellara to shadow each other and stay attached at the hip. Lance might be looking to beat him in a sprint finish. He needs 2 meters, Phil Liggett reckons to end the day in yellow. Believe it or not, this is probably a tall order. What a race!

This area was Salvador Dali's pic for the Centre du Monde, and the city has a decidedly Catalan flair, with street signs in both French and Catalan. I'm sure my Dad has bought himself espadrilles in orange somewhere around here. Nowadays the Spanish expatriates mix comfortably with folks from North Africa, so I'm guessing you could get some fabulous Maroccan or Egyptian cuisine. My mouth is watering.

Cheers, everyone! And here's to comebacks and second chances. Go, Lance!

The Team's Time Trial in Montpellier, Languedoc

Monpellier, where the TTT takes place today, is a cultural center of the Languedoc, the southwest region of France that has its own language. It is also heavily influenced by Spanish culture, and so today, as a mini preview of our Barcelona pairings, try some Montpellier tapas with a big glass of Domaine Peyre Rose Coteaux du Languedoc Syrah Leone. This will also pair well with roasted meats, so try the fabulous bistec of the Camargue region.

Go Astana, go! Lance and Columbia Highroad blew us away yesterday. Today is sure to be the same! What a Tour! And it's only stage 4! (On a wardrobial note, though, I am running out of yellow things to wear. Donations?)

The Land of Cezanne

Winding west from Marseille, "Allons, enfants," rides the peloton today, with no end to the heat. This part of France was first the domain of the ancient Greeks and then the Romans, and so vines and olive trees have probably grown here and been used to make life easier for humanity since there was any agriculture at all. Pale white stone ruins crown the hills, and terra cotta tile roofs give the hilltop towns a charm you may recognize from the paintings of Ce'zanne.

Today, try yet another light and fruity rose' so lovely in the summery heat, some Coteaux d'Aix en Provence. Pair it with a typical bacalao dish made with aoli, Brandade de Morue.

Tomorrow the Team Time Trial returns to the Tour for the first time in 4 years, so expect some fireworks from Astana, and from Team Columbia. It's bound to be a beautiful stage, so don't miss it.

Wine and Food Pairing for Stage 2

Today the racers leave Monaco and head through the foothills of the Alpes Maritime to finish in Brignole for the first time in the history of the Tour.

How about a lovely white wine today from the Cotes de Provence domaine Chateau de Roquefort Clairette-Vin du Pays Bouches du Rhone.

Try it with some Roquefort cheese or a lovely Salade Nicoise with its light Mediterranean flavors.