The Champagne and Oysters Cycling Club is back for another charity ride from Saint Tropez to Monaco, and more than 100 riders are signed up to take part.
Prince Albert of Monaco has been one of the more high profile participants of the event in recent years
The annual ride has once again attracted a mix of professional cyclists and amateurs who go along for the fun, the physical challenge and to raise funds to support the Princess Charlene of Monaco Foundation.
“It’s a very social ride, that’s what’s great about it,” says Tiffany Cromwell, one of Australia’s top female road cyclists. “I see many of the men and women who don’t really ride much and, every year, they build up for the COCC. For them, 140km is massive!”
Now in its eighth year, the COCC charity cycle has become a fixture on the Monaco calendar. Each spring, more than 100 cyclists take part in the coastal ride from Saint Tropez to Monaco. Participants have included HSH Prince Albert II, F1 Formula One drivers and professional cyclists. Participants take a break from the gruelling ride with a refreshing drink at Ma Nolan’s in the Port of Nice, before reaching the finish line at Stars’N’Bars in Monaco.
A stop off at Ma Nolan’s on the port of Nice is always on the agenda
Celebrations continue into the evening with a street party and live music for more than 200 people at Slammers Bar. A celebratory lunch is organised the following day at Anjuna Beach, Eze.
Since the first ride in 2012, more than €600,000 has been raised for the Princess Charlene of Monaco Foundation. The foundation’s mission is to increase awareness of water safety and the risks of drowning. As in 2017 and 2018, funds raised will be used to support a first aid and CPR training complex in Loumbila, Burkina Faso.
Visitors to Monaco will have at their fingertips a virtual tourist guide thanks to the launch of a new app, developed in the Principality. The technology will allow users to experience 3D models of some of Monaco’s most famous landmarks, as well as a host of other useful features.
The app, called CardMap, was created from a collaboration between Monaco’s Tourist and Convention Authority and the company K-Rma tech.
Available for Android and iOS, CardMap offers users an augmented reality view of their destination. By scanning a flyer that can be found in a variety of strategic locations or the map of Monaco, visitors can learn more about the country’s different tourist attractions through a 3D model of the location, an audio guide, photos and videos, making their visit more dynamic and interactive.
The Princess Grace Rose Garden, Fontvieille Park, the Japanese Garden, the Casino, the Cathedral, the Oceanographic Museum and the Prince’s Palace are already available on the app, and other locations will be added soon including the Exotic Garden, the Observatory Cave and the Formula 1 Grand Prix circuit.
Over the coming weeks, users will also be able to learn more about the Changing of the Guard.
K-Rma tech Sarl was founded in Monaco in 2017 and brings together professionals working in new technology and finance. In addition to creating CardMap, the company is also developing innovative solutions in the fields of tourism, music, sport and medicine.
Fabio Fognini became the first Italian to win an ATP Masters 1000 title on Sunday at the Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters, defeating Dusan Lajovic 6-3, 6-4 in one hour and 38 minutes.
Prince Albert of Monaco congratulates Rolex Masters winner Fabio Fognini. Photo: Rolex Monte Carlo Masters
“I’m really, really happy. Nothing to say,” Fognini said. “I have to keep calm, maybe take a shower, relax, and think about this because it’s something incredible.”
The 13th seed converted four of five break points to become the lowest seeded player to lift the trophy since fellow No. 13 seed Gustavo Kuerten’s title run in 1999. Fognini will rise to a career-high No. 12 with the latest ATP Rankings published on Monday.
“I just feel happy because I won a big tournament that was always my goal in my career,” Fognini said. “I think everybody, when you’re growing up and you start and you decide to play tennis, you are dreaming to win a big tournament. We are talking about a Masters [1000].”
Prince Albert watched the thrilling match from the sidelines. Photo: Rolex Monte Carlo Masters
Fognini’s title in the Principality comes after a difficult start to the season. The nine-time tour-level titlist entered the Monte-Carlo Country Club with one win in his eight most recent tour-level encounters and had lost each of his four matches on clay this year.
Fognini’s journey to the trophy was packed with drama. The 31-year-old recovered from 4-6, 1-4 down in his first-round match against Russian qualifier Andrey Rublev and also overturned a 1-6, 0-2 deficit against Borna Coric in the quarter-finals.
Alongside comeback victories against Rublev and Coric, Fognini also defeated two Top 5 opponents in straight sets this week. The Italian upset World No. 3 Alexander Zverev to reach the quarter-finals and stunned 11-time champion Rafael Nadal in the last four. Fognini is the first player to defeat Nadal en route to a clay-court title since Pablo Cuevas’s triumph at the Rio Open presented by Claro in 2016.
After dropping his second service game on Court Rainier III, Fognini levelled the opening set at 2-2 with precision and power. The Italian flattened his backhand to push Lajovic behind the baseline and, following a well-placed drop shot, levelled the match with a forehand volley into the open court. Fognini moved into a 4-2 lead following multiple unforced errors from his opponent and grabbed the opening set after 44 minutes with his 12th winner of the set; a perfectly-timed backhand up the line.
Photo: Rolex Monte Carlo Masters
With his forehand proving to be a key factor in his semi-final win against Nadal, Fognini continued to enjoy success from that wing early in the opening stages of the second set. Fognini broke for a 3-2 lead with great defensive skill, retrieving balls from behind the baseline to extend points and extract errors from his opponent.
The 31-year-old maintained his advantage through to 5-4 and served with confidence to claim the title, converting his second match point as Lajovic mistimed his forehand return.
“I was preparing for the match as best I can because he has my ex-coach and I knew it was going to be really tough, a lot of running,” Fognini said. “[It’s an] incredible achievement. I’m really, really happy.”
As the lowest-ranked Monte-Carlo finalist since Hicham Arazi in 2001, Lajovic was bidding to become the first unseeded player to win in Monte-Carlo since Thomas Muster in 1992. The World No. 48 did not drop a set en route to his first ATP Tour final, defeating Malek Jaziri, David Goffin, Dominic Thiem, Lorenzo Sonego and Daniil Medvedev to record five straight tour-level victories for the first time in his career.
“Fabio is a guy who knows how to play in these conditions. He has great hands. He’s moving really well. So I was feeling on the court that I had to work much harder than him to win the points. I think this was the key,” Lajovic said. “He was pretty stable and solid from both sides, moving well. And when I was on and when I was aggressive, I was able to make points and put him under pressure. But at times, my game was just off.
“I had a lot of unforced errors. One thing was that it was windy. The other thing was I was under the pressure of the finals of the moment, and all together, I think he was the much better player today.”
Fognini earns 1000 ATP Rankings points and receives €958,055 in prize money. Lajovic gains 600 points and €484,950 for his run to the championship match.
Monaco Life talks to Samy Sass, owner of the iconic Sass Café
Monaco Life sat down with Samy Sass at his newly renovated restaurant Sass Café to talk about what it takes to create a legend in Monaco, and keep it thriving for more than two decades. The secret, revealed Samy, is all in the DNA.
Samy, tell us about the new opening, why did you feel the need to update?
Sass has existed for 25 years. My father created it in 1993 and I started working with him in 1998. Every four to five years we have always given Sass a facelift, closing for a month or two to change a few things. But this update has been a lot of work. We have literally knocked down everything. We redid the kitchen because that was too small, we redid the back office and air conditioning, we improved the sound proofing because we live below 240 apartments and this area was never made for what it is today. Where we are sitting right now used to be a garden.
We closed from the beginning of December until the end of March. I used to have a professional decorator who would freshen it up, but this time I wanted to use someone who wasn’t from the industry. So I asked Tina Green, the wife of Sir Philip Green, to redo Sass. She said “This is not my job”, and I replied “that is the reason why I want you to do it!”
So together with Pietro Mingarelli, they have achieved what you see today. And since we opened we have only had amazing feedback. People are coming back, and that’s the most important thing.
We have given an upgrade to Sass, but the DNA is the same. People come and say “You haven’t changed anything!”, which is true and not true. But to some degree I am happy to hear that because it means we haven’t lost the DNA of Sass. It’s like we’ve moved from Business to First Class.
Sass is one of the very few family-run restaurant/bars in Monaco. Why is that important?
It’s important because when you go to a family business, it feels like you are part of the family. I want people to feel like they are at home here. My dad is turning 82 this year and he is still here every night, he has his own chair and table, and that makes it special. I feel the same if I go somewhere, I am happy to see the same people. Look I am not saying it’s all great because it is a very hard job. The business is really above you, you are not above the business. You are a prisoner of your business. Because if you take out my dad, with all due respect to all the staff here, but if you take out my dad and myself, it will change the vision. At the end of the day, we like to treat people like they are at home.
Tableware bares the image of the iconic founder Sassa
Let’s go back to the beginning. When was Sass Café born and what do you remember from those early days?
I remember that it was a completely different time. Why did my father create this restaurant? Because he was going out a lot, every night, and at some point people told him “Sassa you should open your own bar!”. And so he thought, “Every time I am going out to dinner, we start at 9pm and finish at 11pm, then the nightclub is only good at 1am. There is nothing between dinner and the nightclubs”. So that’s why he decided to create something between. Then he introduced live music, which no one was doing apart from the Hôtel de Paris.
But what I remember is it was difficult, it took four years to get off the ground. What people don’t realise is that now, with social media, a place is famous before even opening. In the past when there was no social networking, the concierge at a hotel had an amazing role and I remember you would come down from the room and say to the concierge, “What should I do tonight?”. You don’t have that anymore. You ask them to book the restaurant for you that you already know about from social networks.
The luxurious interior was designed by Tina Green and Pietro Mingarelli
What are some of the standout moments for you?
Every day could be something special at Sass, you can’t plan what is going to happen. For example, on a quiet Tuesday night my dad was standing outside and a woman showed up with this crazy hair, glasses, and a dress like the entrance of a gallery. It was Lady Gaga, and no one even knew she was in town, she just showed up. Michael Jordan comes here often, he is a very good friend, and while he’s sitting there Christiano Ronaldo turns up. I have a picture of it, two icons of Nike that had never met eachother before Sass. They partied together until 4 in the morning.
Bono comes here often, he is a very good friend. Sometimes he takes the microphone. Will Smith showed up for the Monaco Formula 1 Grand Prix once and he did a live performance for 40 minutes on the terrace.
So expect the unexpected. This is Sass, you never know what is going to happen. Of course, sometimes we know who is coming, but you never know exactly. We had Donald Trump’s son here last year for dinner, and his 45 security guys.
I’m sure many people would like to know, how do you create a legend like Sass?
Hard work, first of all. Then our kitchen, it is not 10/10, it is not 5/10. We try to keep it 7/10, so normal food, normal prices. Then, which is very important for me, it is the atmosphere. I’d rather make less money but have a great atmosphere. If you come one night and its full and people are partying, then this is the best advertising. Also, the way we do the tables. They are very close together so we are always thinking about who we are putting next to who, whether they will match or not.
What was it like to have parents like Sassa and Yolande?
They were rocking. My mum was pregnant with me dancing at Jimmyz the day before I was born. They are amazing, I am very lucky to have them.
A wave of new, trendy eateries are springing up all over Monaco. What sets Sass apart from the rest?
Once again, we are a family business. People sometimes come to Monaco with a new place and say they are going to get rid of Sass. But why? I don’t think like that. The more business there is in Monaco, the better it is for the Principality. People that come with that vibe, they’ve already lost. With all due respect, Sass cannot be replicated. How do I know that? Because we tried to franchise to Dubai and we couldn’t make it, it worked for a year and a half and then it failed. Today, Sass belongs to Monaco.
Can you tell us about the menu, can we expect something new? Are there any surprises in the new Sass?
The menu is about 80% the same. But like the deco, we have upgraded the food level too, so it’s gone from a 7 to 8/10.
But what I would like to share is that Tina and I took over the gallery next door, and a third of that gallery will be linked to Sass. In about eight months, it will open for lunch. So you can eat your meal surrounded by artwork, but it will only be available for 30 covers. At night, the space will be used as an extension of Sass or for private parties. It will be something very special and unique for Monaco.
