With four difficult stages in the Pyrenees looming, the sprinters will be eager to take centre stage, but today’s run to Revel does them few favours. None of the five categorised climbs are exceptionally testing, but the last, the third category Côte de St-Ferréol, has a steep and sudden rise and comes just a few kilometres from the finish.
Two weeks into the race, it will be interesting to see how much juice the sprinters' domestiques have left to keep everyone in check on a stage as lumpy as this. With that in mind, the breakaway specialists will fancy their chances.
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