When the riders get to Grenoble, they know the road ahead is going to be tough - you've arrived in the Alps. It's a shock to the system after a transfer from Mulhouse straight into the thick of it; stage 10 finishes in Courchevel atop a 22.2km climb at 6.2%. Before then, however, there's the 20.1km, 6% Cormet-de-Roselend which peaks at the 118km mark. Chances are there'll be more sprinters dropping out along the way, but for those that tough it out there are two intermediate sprint points to take something out of what will be a hard day. The flat run to the first climb is perfectly suited to an attack from Armstrong, as he winds up the pace at the base of Cormet-de-Roselend and hits the GC hard. We'll see who can stay with him this year - with T-Mobile's Alexandre Vinokourov in great form, and Ivan Basso believing 2005 may be his year, Armstrong won't have it his own way - prepare for the battle as the lines are drawn!
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Volta a Catalunya: Dorian Godon wins dramatic stage 3 finish as Remco Evenepoel crashes in closing kilometre
Ethan Vernon second, Noah Hobbs third as late breakaway vanishes for GC favourites -
As it happened: Reduced bunch sprints for victory at end of windy day at Ronde Van Brugge
The new-look mid-week Classic sees the sprinters out in force in Bruges -
As it happened: Late crash hands win the the sprinters on stage 3 of Volta a Catalunya 2026
Remco Evenepoel and Jonas Vingegaard attacked but the Olympic champion crashed with 300 metres to go and Dorian Godon stormed to victory -
Ronde van Brugge: Another victory for Dylan Groenewegen as crosswinds and crashes rip through peloton
Jasper Philipsen second, Max Kanter third in wind-swept Belgian Classic
