With just three fourth category climbs in the way, this should once again be a stage for the sprinters. The route continues its way across the southern edge of France between the Pyrenees and the Alps. It's likely that a break will try to get away, but even more likely that the sprinters' domestiques will bring them back before they reach the finish.
The stage travels from one Roman settlement to another: leaving the oldest one in Narbonne, and arriving in probably the most famous one in Nîmes. The capital of the Gard department, Nîmes is home to probably the highest concentration of historic Roman sites outside Italy. These include the best preserved arena in France – which still gets used for concerts and bullfights, the Maison Carrée – a temple dedicated to the sons of Agrippa, and most famously: the Pont du Gard – a three level aqueduct which lies 20 kilometres to the north.
Nîmes' other big claim to fame is as the origin of Serge de Nîmes, an indigo blue fabric that has changed the world. Over the years its name has been shortened to one word that most people will recognise: Denim.
-
Renewi Tour stage 4: Tim Merlier makes it a pair with victory in Bilzen-Hoeselt
Pavel Bittner and Olav Kooij in photo finish for second as De Lie maintains race lead -
Vuelta a España stage 1 LIVE: Grand Tour underway with Jasper Philipsen and Mads Pedersen eying sprint finish
The final Grand Tour of the season gets underway with the Gran Salida in Turin, marking a first-ever Italian start for La Vuelta -
Fabio Jakobsen suffers setback in his return to racing with broken collarbone after crash at the Renewi Tour
The Picnic PostNL rider had made his comeback at the Tour of Denmark last week after undergoing iliac artery surgery earlier in the year -
Who is the next Tadej Pogačar? - These are the super talents who could win the Tour de France before 2030
From Evenepoel to Seixas and Torres to Widar, here are the Grand Tour riders of the next decade
