**Stage One** - Dusseldorf > Dusseldorf - Tour de France 2017 *SPOILERS*

rick_chasey
rick_chasey Posts: 72,228
edited July 2017 in Pro race
Since I won't be posting much next week.

139px-Stadtwappen_der_kreisfreien_Stadt_D%C3%BCsseldorf.png

CARTE.jpg

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So it's a TT. Not a prologue - too long for that.

Favourites? Gotta be the panzer - Tony Martin.

Other things to note:

The daytime population of Dusseldorf increases on work days by over 200,000 when commuters pop in and out of the city.

Wärst Du doch in Düsseldorf geblieben (“You’d have better stayed in Düsseldorf”) is probably the most popular song about the town.

In Germany, the largest Japanese community is found in Dusseldorf. There are 11,000 Japanese people there.

They all drink Altbier which is fairly rank.
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Food wise, lots of mussels (obviously),

Reibekuchen (like Kartoffelpuffer, but these are drizzled with Rübensyrup [beet syrup - like golden syrup] and served on pumpernickel slices with a side of applesauce),
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Rheinischer Sauerbraten (marinated in red wine and vinegar for several days, then slowly braised, like a pot roast, usually made from horse meat).

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Geology: Düsseldorf is built entirely on alluvium, mud, sand, clay and occasionally gravel.

and some local(ish) horses:

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Comments

  • salsiccia1
    salsiccia1 Posts: 3,725
    Good work. They eat some shite in Germany, don't they?
    It's only a bit of sport, Mun. Relax and enjoy the racing.
  • Salsiccia1 wrote:
    Good work. They eat some shite in Germany, don't they?


    Yes, thank you Jay Rayner
    :wink:
  • Has anyone found a start list (riding order) for the opening TT in Dusseldorf? I have been googling but have yet to find one.
  • Has anyone found a start list (riding order) for the opening TT in Dusseldorf? I have been googling but have yet to find one.


    Not published yet by ASO, When it is, I'd look for it here
    http://www.cyclingfans.com/tour-de-france/live
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,137
    Salsiccia1 wrote:
    Good work. They eat some shite in Germany, don't they?
    When I went to Cologne the menu seemed to just consist of various slabs of pig.
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • Has anyone found a start list (riding order) for the opening TT in Dusseldorf? I have been googling but have yet to find one.


    Not published yet by ASO, When it is, I'd look for it here
    http://www.cyclingfans.com/tour-de-france/live

    Thank you, I'll keep an eye out
  • andyrac
    andyrac Posts: 1,123
    Salsiccia1 wrote:
    Good work. They eat some shite in Germany, don't they?

    Rick Stein did a programme on Berlin - and the food could be described as 'wholesome'....if you're being charitable...I imagine the rest of the country is similar.
    All Road/ Gravel: tbcWinter: tbcMTB: tbcRoad: tbc"Look at the time...." "he's fallen like an old lady on a cruise ship..."
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 72,228
    I quite like German food.

    Not necessarily every day (I can do that with Italian or Greek food), but it's rather nice.


    If you want to feel really London and sit in a lovely restaurant and pay extortionate amounts for what you actually eat, German Gymnasium is lovely.
  • Lanterne_Rogue
    Lanterne_Rogue Posts: 4,091
    Don't get the dislike for Alt - I've always enjoyed it. More dangerous is the beer in Cologne that comes in tiny glasses that mysteriously refill themselves...

    As for German cuisine, it's better than it looks and sounds. Which isn't saying much. The whole country is addicted to salt, too.
  • dish_dash
    dish_dash Posts: 5,551
    I quite like German food.

    Not necessarily every day (I can do that with Italian or Greek food), but it's rather nice.


    If you want to feel really London and sit in a lovely restaurant and pay extortionate amounts for what you actually eat, German Gymnasium is lovely.

    Though Jay Rayner wasn't really a fan... I've only ever had brunch and it very noisy!
    https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyl ... ant-review

    Ok it's Austrian, but Kipferl is nice and less pricey!
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 72,228
    dish_dash wrote:
    I quite like German food.

    Not necessarily every day (I can do that with Italian or Greek food), but it's rather nice.


    If you want to feel really London and sit in a lovely restaurant and pay extortionate amounts for what you actually eat, German Gymnasium is lovely.

    Though Jay Rayner wasn't really a fan... I've only ever had brunch and it very noisy!
    https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyl ... ant-review

    Ok it's Austrian, but Kipferl is nice and less pricey!

    Yes yes.

    I know all of this. The criticism is, as noted above, it's far too expensive for what it is. But then, this is London, and it's a fancy restaurant and it does the rest of it all very well, and the food is objectively nice, just not necessarily worth £20+ for a veal schnitzel.

    Though I do massively judge Jay's choice of food. It's everything I'd never order in a German restaurant.

    :P :P
  • above_the_cows
    above_the_cows Posts: 11,406
    I quite like German food. :shock:

    Anyway...
    "The Düsseldorf Cow War (German: Düsseldorfer Kuhkrieg) was a military conflict over the status of church property in the duchies Jülich and Berg. It lasted between June and December 1651, pitting the Catholic Palatinate-Neuburg against the Protestant Margraviate of Brandenburg. It ended in peaceful settlement, confirming the distribution of church property on the basis of the year 1651."

    ce32f4dd15cd9b11564044880f59c615.jpg

    And how could we have a Tour de France thread about Düsseldorf and not mention these fellows...

    maxresdefault.jpg
    Correlation is not causation.
  • above_the_cows
    above_the_cows Posts: 11,406
    p.s. I am now actually proper excited. Heeeeee
    Correlation is not causation.
  • dish_dash
    dish_dash Posts: 5,551
    For a German grand depart they don't spend much time, do they? Glancing at the route it appears that they spend about as much time in Belgium as in Germany...
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 72,228
    dish_dash wrote:
    For a German grand depart they don't spend much time, do they? Glancing at the route it appears that they spend about as much time in Belgium as in Germany...

    Well it was gonna be London....
  • blazing_saddles
    blazing_saddles Posts: 21,741
    Good that the German word for weather is wetter, cos that's what it's going to be.
    Just 16c to go with it.
    Unlikely there will be any strategic diesel spill from their vorsprung durch technik mobiles, though.
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • m.r.m.
    m.r.m. Posts: 3,312
    I personally wouldn't recommend German food, but for those visiting there is a solid burger place called Grindhouse. Can recommend the Oreo milkshake there as well. Also, a japanese ramen joint called Takumi. Not entirely on the Tokyo level, but close.
    PTP Champion 2019, 2022 & 2023
  • salsiccia1
    salsiccia1 Posts: 3,725
    I've probably been a little bit harsh, in fairness; currywurst is amazing
    It's only a bit of sport, Mun. Relax and enjoy the racing.
  • Lanterne_Rogue
    Lanterne_Rogue Posts: 4,091
    Salsiccia1 wrote:
    I've probably been a little bit harsh, in fairness; currywurst is amazing

    Bit of a sore point between the Ruhrgebiet and Berlin about who invented that. Pommes rott weiss definitely comes from the Pott though.
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 72,228
    I'm stuck in an airport but there are pictures of Tony's TT bike.

    Single front chainring - 58 tooth natch.

    Though I see no chain catcher......
  • yourpaceormine
    yourpaceormine Posts: 1,245
    maxresdefault.jpg

    Those are Subbuteo men who have been made to look like Kraftwerk aren't they?
  • andyp
    andyp Posts: 10,069
    And how could we have a Tour de France thread about Düsseldorf and not mention these fellows...

    maxresdefault.jpg

    Nothing will ever top seeing Kraftwerk at the Manchester Velodrome. Nothing.
  • Lanterne_Rogue
    Lanterne_Rogue Posts: 4,091
    Anyone wondering whether Mark Cavendish has lost his essential essence after illness will probably be reassured. Other than accepting that just rocking up on the start line is something of an achievement, he's said "If I'm only good enough to win one more stage so be it".

    Most mortals would have turned round to the press and said "30 stages is pretty bloody impressive, you know?". Assuming you're going to win another one at some point is so very, very Cav.
  • verylonglegs
    verylonglegs Posts: 3,949
    Wärst Du doch in Düsseldorf geblieben (“You’d have better stayed in Düsseldorf”) is probably the most popular song about the town.

    This is my favourite song about Düsseldorf. By that I mean it's the only one I've ever heard.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QN7YA4FO7TY
  • ben@31
    ben@31 Posts: 2,327
    Has anyone found a start list (riding order) for the opening TT in Dusseldorf? I have been googling but have yet to find one.


    Here is the order and start times (CET Same time zone as BST?)

    The first rider is out at 15:15. Tony Martin at 18:20. While Contador, Quintana and Froome are all in the last 4 to start at 18:29

    http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/tour-de ... art-times/

    Just out of interest anyone know how they decide the order? Is it picked out a hat or based on rankings?
    "The Prince of Wales is now the King of France" - Calton Kirby
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,137
    The order of the rotation of the teams is set by last year's GC by looks of it. The teams get to choose the order their riders then go out - although I think Froome has to go last.
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • yourpaceormine
    yourpaceormine Posts: 1,245
    If my memory serves me correctly I don't think Froome has ever ridden the first stage in yellow, as was the want of at least one other rider (he who shall not be named... Vol, Volder, Volderstrong). I know that technically he can ( unless I didn't get the memo) but I do like that about him.
  • above_the_cows
    above_the_cows Posts: 11,406
    Haimar Zubeldia 16:39

    Just so we can't miss him.
    Correlation is not causation.
  • bobmcstuff
    bobmcstuff Posts: 11,196
    I'll be out drinking at 12 when PTP closes - current picks as follows:

    Tony Martin 71.1%
    Roglic 13.3%
    Van Emden 6.7%
    Durbridge, Cummings, Thomas on 2.2% with one pick (plus some poor soul - courtmed - who seems to have got confused between stage 1 and 2 who went for Cavendish...)
  • imatfaal
    imatfaal Posts: 2,716
    ben@31 wrote:
    Has anyone found a start list (riding order) for the opening TT in Dusseldorf? I have been googling but have yet to find one.


    Here is the order and start times (CET Same time zone as BST?)

    The first rider is out at 15:15. Tony Martin at 18:20. While Contador, Quintana and Froome are all in the last 4 to start at 18:29

    http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/tour-de ... art-times/

    Just out of interest anyone know how they decide the order? Is it picked out a hat or based on rankings?

    I would take those timings with a pinch of salt and check the TV an hour earlier to be on the safe side. Current time zone in Europe is CEST - ie Summer time; not the stated CET which is standard winter time. CEST is one hour in advance of BST. TdF official site gives start time as 1515 lt and expected last at 1848 lt- ie local time CEST. ITV coverage runs from 1400 to 1800 BST. Eurosport runs from 1345 to 1830 BST .

    On the German food thing - Herman ze German is the best post-pub on the way home food available in central London