Visé – Tournai
Distance: 207.5km
Highest point: 190m
Category: Flat
Gloves off for the sprinters
Already more than halfway towards Eddy Merckx’s record of 34 Tour stage victories, Mark Cavendish will have this stage very much in his sights. However, the list of challengers to the Briton’s sprint crown continues to grow. Also likely to feature are Tyler Farrar, André Greipel, Peter Sagan and new German star Marcel Kittel. The presence of Cavendish’s erstwhile lead-out men, Matt Goss and Mark Renshaw, also adds another intriguing edge. Cavendish has been a slow starter at recent Tours but should get plenty of motivation from his desire to keep his rivals in check.
André Greipel: "This is the first real opportunity for the sprinters. The finishing straight (on Boulevard Bara) is straight and wide which should make it easier to organise the lead-out trains and it will be interesting to see which teams have clicked."
-
Lauren Stephens wins women's UCI five-day Tour de Bloom with Queen stage victory
Alison Jackson gets first stage and GC wins of year in Europe, Riley Amos and Savilia Blunk win Whiskey 50 titles - North American Roundup -
Boucles de l'Aulne: Lewis Askey earns his first pro victory with long sprint in Châteaulin
Benoît Cosnefroy crosses the line ahead Clément Venturini from chasers to complete podium -
'I'm still believing' - Egan Bernal continues to pursue dream of a third Grand Tour victory at Giro d'Italia
Bernal to wear newly designed national champion's jersey in homage to historic Café de Colombia team's 1987 Vuelta a España victory -
'Now I've started enjoying cycling' – Ambitious Tom Pidcock enters first Giro d'Italia with refreshed mindset at Q36.5
'The only unknown is probably the longer climbs, but apart from that, I think I can be quite competitive every day' says Brit
