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The Guardian
3 days ago
- The Guardian
Hikes, motorbikes and beekeeping: Julia Bradbury on the outdoor wonders of Normandy
Over the years, nature has been my best friend, my adventure playground and my therapist. Spending time in nature is incredibly powerful, which is why trying to build it into our lives is so important, whether that's going to a local park, walking along your favourite tree-lined street or starting your day perched on a windowsill and feeling the sunshine on your face. I call these everyday, mood-boosting moments 'nature snacks' – and by comparison, going on an outdoorsy holiday to somewhere gloriously green could be considered 'a nature feast'. Julia Bradbury en route from Portsmouth to Caen with Brittany Ferries Recently, I was lucky enough to spend a few days in Normandy to explore some of the uncommon sights and adventures that this gorgeous part of the world has to offer. Although I travel for a living, this was my first time exploring this patch of northern France in any depth – and I was looking forward to discovering it more fully. So in keeping with this sense of slowing down and taking time to enjoy the journey, I set off from Portsmouth with Brittany Ferries on one of its new hybrid-LNG ships. There's something quite nostalgic about journeying by sea. All the stresses of travelling by plane disappear: you can move about freely, get some fresh air and enjoy some peace, which is perfect for easing yourself into a holiday. After arriving in port at Caen, my Gallic adventure kicked off with a retro sidecar motorbike tour along the coastline, which turned out to be one of the most exciting history tours I've ever experienced. A German gun emplacement near Longues-sur-Mer; the British Normandy Memorial in Ver-sur-Mer; with Philippe on a motorbike tour of the Normandy coastline A wonderful guy called Philippe, who was very knowledgable and entertaining, was my 'pilot'. Our key destination was the British Normandy Memorial in Ver-sur-Mer. A permanent monument, called Standing with Giants, features 1,475 metal silhouettes of servicemen, each one representing a life lost in 1944 on D-day. The statues are accompanied by beautifully heartfelt messages from family members, thanking the men for their sacrifice, some sharing personal anecdotes about their lost loved ones. Seeing those hundreds of lives laid out was deeply touching, I found myself crying. During my decades spent soaking in the great outdoors, I've learned that walking through a landscape is one of the best ways to really get a feel for a place, whether it's a town, a rural setting or a woodland. You see, feel and experience more when you're on your feet, so I was looking forward to embarking on a barefoot guided 'quicksand' walk in beautiful Mont-Saint-Michel. (Well, partially barefoot. I was told to bring some shorts and neoprene booties as well. You'll see why when you read on.) The walk at low tide to Mont-Saint-Michel Abbey The beach, which is set against the stunning backdrop of Mont-Saint-Michel Abbey, is wide open when the tide is out. You can see for miles with no sea in sight. If you jump on certain parts of the sand, it starts to wobble, which is a sign that there's quicksand underneath you. It's possible to wiggle yourself right down to your hips, which is quite an experience – once you get over that feeling of: 'Am I going to get out of here?' Walking in quicksand was a first for me, and doing something so unique felt good. I can see why the boots are advised, but next time my feet will be fully naked in the quicksand! I also got to sample some local produce at a pick-your-own farm, Cueillette de Cagny, near Caen, which grows luscious cherries, asparagus, apples and huge leaves of chard, or blettes. Picking your own is a lovely way of connecting with the earth and your food – anyone who's harvested or foraged and enjoyed eating their spoils will know how special that feels. Local produce at a pick-your-own farm, Cueillette de Cagny I met some bees, including the queen bee (complete with her beautiful neon-pink crown), when I was allowed to get up close to the hives at a local bee farm. It was lovely to be safely ensconced in a beekeeper's outfit with the bees buzzing around me. And of course, I got to leave with some of the freshest local honey. My last experience on this unique trip was a hike through the rugged Suisse Normande region, navigating narrow paths on steep cliffs that offered sweeping views of the valley and river down below. The sky was full of paragliders, like giant multicoloured butterflies, which was a real sight to behold. When you get to the top of a mountain, or you're in a woodland and you look up through a canopy of trees that are living and growing in unison with each other, it's incredibly powerful. Collecting honey at a bee farm near Caen; hiking the Suisse Normande At the end of my time in Normandy, I made the return journey back across the Channel with Brittany Ferries. Having the extra time and space to relax after the trip – and being able to treat myself to one more delicious French meal onboard, showcasing wonderful, locally sourced ingredients – was a lovely way to finish off my French adventure. When you spend time looking at trees bending with the wind, listening to birdsong or watching waves from the deck of a ship, you're engaged in what's called 'soft fascination'. It's a state of mind where you're not thinking about what you need to do next, you're just engaged with that movement in front of you. The return journey: sunset over the Channel from Caen to Portsmouth Mentally, that's a good place to be – and it was the ideal way to end a holiday that gave me the opportunity to move my body, get some fresh air and immerse myself in nature. As the French say, qui vivra verra. She who lives, shall see. Where to stayBrittany Ferries offers a range of accommodation from charming gites and chic hotels to villas with their own pool. For a unique and memorable stay close to Mont-Saint-Michel, Le Moulin de Ducey is a wonderfully tranquil restored watermill. Not far from Bayeux, Ferme de la Rançonnière is a former 15th-century farm that makes a great base for exploring Normandy's landing into holiday mode before you even arrive. Book a Brittany Ferries Holiday with ferry and accommodation and save up to 30% on your sailing. To find your perfect French escape, just visit:
Yahoo
11-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Tour de France Stage 5 results, standings: Remco Evenepoel wins time trial at Caen
The yellow jersey at the 2025 Tour de France has changed hands following the Stage 5 individual time trial on Wednesday, July 9, in Caen. Reigning world and Olympic time trial champion Remco Evenepoel excelled in his specialty by completing the 33-kilometer course in a winning time of 36 minutes, 42 seconds. Evenepoel overcame a slow stretch during the middle of his run to finish 16 seconds faster than Slovenia's Tadej Pogačar. Advertisement However, Pogačar's strong run vaulted him into the general classification lead after he was tied with Mathieu van der Poel atop the standings entering the stage. Pogačar now leads Evenepoel by a total of 42 seconds. Van der Poel finished one minute, 44 seconds behind Evenepoel's winning time and fell back to sixth place overall. In addition to the claiming the yellow jersey as the race's overall leader, Pogačar moved into the points lead and added the green jersey to the polka dot one he already had as the Tour's top climber. Stage 5 results Final results from the 33-kilometer Stage 5 individual time trial in Caen at the 2025 Tour de France on Wednesday, July 9: Pos. Rider Team Time Gap 1 Remco Evenepoel Soudal Quick-Step 00h 36' 42'' -- 2 Tadej Pogačar UAE Team Emirates XRG 00h 36' 58'' + 16'' 3 Edoardo Affini Team Visma | Lease a Bike 00h 37' 15'' + 33'' 4 Bruno Armirail Decathlon AG2R 00h 37' 17'' + 35'' 5 Kevin Vauquelin Arkea-B&B Hotels 00h 37' 31'' + 49" 6 Florian Lipowitz Red Bull - BORA 00h 37' 40'' + 58" 7 Ivan Romeo Abad Movistar Team 00h 37' 44'' + 01' 02'' 8 Joao Almeida UAE Team Emirates XRG 00h 37' 56'' + 01' 14'' 9 Luke Plapp Team Jayco Alula 00h 37' 59'' + 01' 17'' 10 Pablo Castrillo Zapater Movistar Team 00h 38' 00'' + 01' 18'' Soudal Quick-Step's Remco Evenepoel celebrates on the podium in Caen after winning the Stage 5 individual time trial at the 2025 Tour de France. Leaders on the course All of the top racers have begun their time trials in Stage 5. Advertisement Wearing the rainbow jersey as the reigning world time trial champion, Remco Evenepoel started quickly but slowed his pace by the midpoint of the route. However, he was able to make up substantial ground toward the finish line and move into the provisional stage lead. Tadej Pogacar, in the polka dot jersey after taking over the points lead in climbing, is off to a strong start. Meanwhile, overall leader Mathieu van der Poel, the last competitor to take to the streets of Caen, is not expected to retain the yellow as the time trial is not his strong suit. Tour de France 2025 standings Through Stage 5 Tadej Pogačar, Slovenia: 17h 22' 58'' Remco Evenepoel, Belgium: 17h 23' 40'' (42 seconds behind) Kevin Vauquelin, France: 17h 23' 57'' (59 seconds) Jonas Vingegaard, Denmark: 17h 24' 11" (1 minute, 13 seconds) Matteo Jorgenson, USA: 17h 24' 20'' (1 minute, 22 seconds) Mathieu van der Poel, Netherlands: 17h 24' 26'' (1 minute, 28 seconds) Joao Almeida, Portugal: 17h 24' 51'' (1 minute, 53 seconds) Primoz Roglic, Slovenia: 17h 25' 28'' (2 minutes, 30 seconds) Florian Lipowitz, Germany: 17h 25' 29'' (2 minutes, 31 seconds) Mattias Skjelmose, Denmark: 17h 25' 30'' (2 minutes, 32 seconds) Advertisement 2025 Tour de France jersey leaders Yellow (overall race leader): Tadej Pogačar, Slovenia Green (points): Tadej Pogačar, Slovenia Polka dot (mountains): Tadej Pogačar, Slovenia White (young rider): Remco Evenepoel, Belgium Who's wearing the rainbow jersey at 2025 Tour de France? In addition to the four traditional colored jerseys at the Tour de France, the reigning world champion in the day's event wears a rainbow-colored jersey. It's white with five colored stripes – blue, red, black, yellow and green (same as the colors of the Olympic rings). In today's time trial, the rainbow jersey is worn by Remco Evenepoel of Belgium. Advertisement 2025 Tour de France next stage Stage 6 is a hilly 201.5-kilometer road race from Bayeux to Vire Normandie on Thursday, July 10. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Tour de France Stage 5: Remco Evenepoel wins time trial
Yahoo
11-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Mattia Cattaneo, teammate of Tour de France contender Evenepoel, withdraws from race
Italy's Mattia Cattaneo competes during the fifth stage of the Tour de France cycling race, an indivdual time-trial over 33 kilometers (20.5 miles) with start and finish in Caen, France, Wednesday, July 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Mosa'ab Elshamy) MUR-DE--BRETAGNE, France (AP) — Mattia Cattaneo, a key teammate of Tour de France contender Remco Evenepoel, has withdrawn from the race. The versatile Cattaneo, who rides for Evenepoel's Soudal Quick-Step, was seen struggling at the back of the peloton during Friday's Stage 7 of the three-week race between Saint-Malo and Mûr-de-Bretagne. The Italian rider retired after about 70 kilometers (43 miles), race organizers said. Advertisement Evenepoel, who finished third in last year's Tour, was third overall before Friday's 197-kilometer (122-mile) stage, lagging 43 seconds behind race leader Mathieu van der Poel. Three-time Tour champion Tadej Pogačar was in second place, one second behind van der Poel. A five-man break including former Tour champion Geraint Thomas formed soon after the start, gaining an early lead of 1 minute and 40 seconds after 86 kilometers covered. ___ AP sports:
The Guardian
10-07-2025
- Sport
- The Guardian
Tour de France 2025: Evenepoel wins time trial as Pogacar powers into yellow
Tadej Pogacar struck the first blow in his rivalry with Jonas Vingegaard by taking the overall Tour de France lead after finishing second to Remco Evenepoel in the stage five time trial in Caen. Pogacar's performance exceeded expectations and will have hit hard on Vingegaard's Visma‑Lease a Bike team bus, with the double Tour winner now more than a minute behind his Slovenian rival after only five days of racing. 'I was surprised,' Pogacar said of the gap he opened up on the Dane. 'I'm not going to lie. I was not expecting to be so far ahead of him in this time trial. I expected him to be closer to Remco, but maybe he didn't have a great day.' While the Olympic and world time trial champion Evenepoel, riding at an average speed of 54km/h, claimed an expected stage success, Pogacar was the real winner, as Vingegaard's challenge wilted in the heat of the Calvados afternoon. With Vingegaard now under pressure to combat his rival, there may be further tension in the camp, with his American teammate Matteo Jorgenson, winner of the Paris-Nice race in March, just nine seconds behind him. 'I don't have an explanation,' Visma's head of racing, Grischa Niermann, said of his team leader's result. 'Of course, we hoped for more. I guess Jonas didn't have enough power today.' Pogacar, however, was not getting carried away. 'I always have eyes on everybody, not just one guy,' he said. 'You cannot discount all the riders up to top 10 in general classification. 'Jonas is the most hungry to get back time, he's in super good shape, his team's in good form, so they will try, maybe tomorrow or the next day.' Yet there is no doubt the pendulum has now swung in Pogacar's favour. Evenepoel, winner of the 2024 Tour time trial stage to Gevrey‑Chambertin, had predicted he would make up almost a minute on Pogacar and, quickly into his compact position, set off at breakneck pace. Despite winning the stage, the Belgian did not achieve the time gains for which he had hoped. The Slovenian, blindsided by a flying Evenepoel in the Critérium du Dauphiné time trial a month ago, was this time a different prospect. His performance around Caen was much more competitive than expected and kept the Belgian in check, while transforming a slim overnight advantage over Vingegaard of 8sec into a significant 1min 13sec. But on a stage thankfully free of any of the pile-ups that have marked some of the earlier stages, the safety debate still shadowed the peloton, after the Canadian rider Mike Woods, 122nd overall in the Tour, said that race organisers ASO 'love crashes'. Writing on his blog, the 38 year old Woods, a stage winner in the 2023 Tour, said: 'Despite their claimed attempts to make the sport safer, one gets a sense – when watching any highlight reel they create – that blood, broken bikes, and some poor bastard walking into an ambulance are what they love to sell.' Another casualty of earlier crashes, Emilien Jeannniere of France, who was catapulted into the crowd barriers in the stage to Dunkirk on Monday, quit the race after it was discovered that he had broken his shoulder, even though he successfully finished stage four into Rouen. 'It's sad to abandon my first Tour, but there are other races and I have to put my health first,' the 26 year old rider said. Others are faring better, with the rising British talents Oscar Onley and the Tour debutant Joe Blackmore quickly finding their feet in this year's race. In contrast, prospects looked gloomier for Ineos Grenadiers with Carlos Rodriguez now languishing in 16th place, four minutes behind Pogacar, after the first time trial. The sixth stage on Thursday, from Bayeux to Vire, includes six categorised climbs and may see more sparring at the uphill finish, on the 14% slopes of the Avenue d'Atlacomulco.
Arab News
10-07-2025
- Sport
- Arab News
Pogacar plays down yellow jersey after Evenepoel wins Tour time trial
CAEN, France: Three-time Tour de France winner Tadej Pogacar played down the importance of taking over the yellow jersey after Belgian rider Remco Evenepoel stormed his way to an impressive victory in the fifth-stage time trial on Wednesday. For the latest updates, follow us @ArabNewsSport Pogacar, who started the day in second place on the same time as leader Mathieu van der Poel, produced one of his best time trials on the 33km route around Caen to finish just 16 seconds behind the world and Olympic champion to leave Van der Poel and fellow challenger Jonas Vingegaard struggling in his wake. The Slovenian, who now holds a 42sec lead over Evenepoel with Vingegaard over a minute behind, is the first rider since Eddie Merckx in the 1970s to hold all three of the main jerseys — the general classification, points and king of the mountains. 'I'm super happy with how I rode today, to be 16 seconds behind the world champion, the Olympic champion, the best time triallist in the world right now,' Pogacar said after the stage. 'It's a very good day and I'm happy, but I'm just happy this day is over and we can keep the ball rolling in this Tour de France. 'The most important (jersey) is yellow, and the most important time to have it is on the Champs-Elysees at the finish line. 'Now, it's not that important. It feels good, but the important thing is to have it in Paris.' Evenepoel completed the course in 36min 42sec at a blistering average speed of 54 km/h. Italian Edoardo Affini finished third, 33sec behind. It was Evenepoel's second stage win on the Tour de France, having triumphed in the time trial in Gevrey-Chambertin last year on his debut in the Grande Boucle. 'I knew I had a good chance but, of course, the legs still have to be there and everything has to go to plan,' said Evenepoel whose Soudal Quick-Step teammate Tim Merlier won stage three two days ago. 'In the end I think it was pretty good. I didn't really feel like I could go any faster, so I think in general I'm happy with the result. 'It's a second stage win for our team, it's super nice. 'As for me, I've taken a step toward the podium but there's still a long way to go.' Two-time winner Vingegaard, who began the day just 8sec behind Van der Poel, had a poor day as the Dane could only finish 13th in the stage — 1min 21sec behind Evenepoel — to slip to 1min 13sec behind Pogacar in the new standings. He drops to fourth overall with local rider Kevin Vauquelin moving up to third after a hugely impressive ride that saw him finish fifth on the day. 'I'm over the moon, really,' said an emotional Vauquelin. 'I think I can only experience this once in my life. To see everyone looking at me, cheering me on, it's incredible. 'For a 24-year-old just starting out in the professional world, it's just incredible.' Dutchman Van der Poel also struggled to maintain the pace, coming in 18th, 1min 44sec behind the winner, dropping him down to sixth overall. Evenepoel was the nailed-on favorite to win the stage given his astonishing record in time trials. The Flemish rider, who has been wearing a golden helmet since his Olympic double, is virtually invincible in this exercise. He has won the last six time trial stages in which he has taken part, and nine out of 12 since the start of 2024. This was his 64th career victory, of which 21 have come in time trials. Evenepoel was also impressed by the performance of Pogacar who was a distant third to the Belgian and Vingegaard in the time trial in the recent Criterium du Dauphine. 'Compared to the Dauphine, he took a big step forward. He showed that he's in great form and that he's the man to beat in this Tour.' Thursday serves up the second longest stage of this year's Tour with 3,500 meters of elevation over a 201.5km route through Normandy which starts in Vauquelin's home town of Bayeux and ends with a short, steep climb to the finish in Vire Normandie.
