Another opportunist's stage, this short romp into Le Puy-en-Velay offers a hilly parcours, with the main climb being at the 55.5km mark up the Col des Pradeux - 11.4km at 5.6%. Not much considering what they've been through beforehand, but enough to put plenty of hurt in the riders' legs and offer something for the sprinters if they can muster the energy to have a go at the intermediate sprints (of which there are two) and possibly take the stage win. Another great opportunity for someone like Giuseppe Guerini or maybe even Sandy Casar. It could happen. Francaise des Jeux's young Belgian Philippe Gilbert could come into calculations due to his classics pontential, but age may be against him at this late stage of the race.
TOPICS
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Two-time Giro d’Italia winner Vincenzo Nibali floats the idea of rotating the Grand Tours on the schedule
Nibali takes Tadej Pogačar’s suggestion of swapping Giro and Vuelta a España a step further -
Joris Nieuwenhuis and Laurens Sweeck left frustrated as late tactics deny them World Cup victory in Sardinia
‘It was only a few seconds’, said third place Sweeck -
'I'm super happy to be back' - Shirin van Anrooij on her first World Cup podium in over two years
Dutchwoman finished third place in Terralba, Sardinia -
UCI Cyclo-cross World Cup Terralba: Michael Vanthourenhout outsprints Joris Nieuwenhuis and Laurens Sweeck to win first World Cup of the season
Sweeck reduced his deficit in overall standings to 4 points to Thibau Nys
