After the difficulty of the previous day, stage 12 will seem like a gentle roll over a couple of cat 2 climbs and some smaller cols after two intermediate sprints early in the stage. The King of the Mountains jersey competition will most likely feature on this day, and after his stage victory on a similar stage at the Tour de Suisse, Davitamon-Lotto's Axel Merckx may well feel he's in with a chance of picking up a Tour stage win. The riders then say goodbye to the Alps as they head over a couple of flat stages, where the Pyrenees await them, ready to split the field even more.
TOPICS
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Australia's Rebecca Henderson takes 13th consecutive elite cross-country mountain bike national title, New Zealand's Anton Cooper makes it an 11th
A first elite men's Australian XCO title for 20-year-old Jack Ward as three-time winner Samara Shepherd claims women's sliver fern jersey in New Zealand -
Luke Lamperti and Kate Courtney plan debuts at The Growler road race in April - North American Roundup
Applications open through April 3 for EuroCrossAcademy summer camps; Mexico's César Macías earns silver medal at Pan American Road Championships -
UCI Gravel World Series: Nicole Frain best in three-rider women's sprint while Jarno Bellens goes solo to win elite men's race at Turnhout Gravel
Anne Knijnenburg edges out Wendy Oosterwoud as runner-up -
Former Tour de France runner-up and multiple Grand Tour champion Nairo Quintana announces retirement for end of season
Veteran Giro d'Italia and Vuelta a España winner, 36, set to quit after 16 seasons
