Instead of two run-of-the-mill ‘transition’ stages between the Alps and the Pyrenees, Prudhomme and his team have opted to start the move westwards with a tricky day running through the Ardeche to the now well-known finish at Mende’s aerodrome atop the Montée Laurent Jalabert, so called after the Frenchman’s famous Bastille Day win there in 1995.
On heavy roads and over four categorised climbs, this stage could cause surprises, particularly if the temperature boils up. Spaniard Marcos Serrano won the last time the Tour finished here in 2005. Will a compatriot triumph today?
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Sarah Gigante undergoes iliac artery surgery, will miss Tour Down Under
‘Gutted to miss months of racing but happy to know and fix a problem that has been such a mental and physical struggle’ -
Cabras Cyclocross World Cup cancellation boost for riders who skipped the race
Many riders focused on team training camps instead of traveling to Sardinia -
Cyclocross stars and organisers left counting cost of cancelling third round of World Cup
Extreme weather in Cabras, Sardinia forced the late decision -
Katy Marchant fractures arm in high-speed crash into crowd at Track Champions League
No other serious injuries reported after Marchant and Alessa-Catriona Pröpster flew over barrier
