It would be a massive surprise if the sprinters allow this one to get away. The day's break may as well be on a fishing hook.
The pan-flatlands of Les Landes into Bordeaux host the Tour for the 80th time. It's the race's most visited location outside Paris and has a long reputation for epic bunch sprints. The long, straight finish on the Quinconces quayside is ideal for a mass finish, although you have go back to Tom Steels in 1999 to find the last sprint win here.
The overall contenders will want to stay out of trouble and save energy with tomorrow's time trial in mind.
Stage profile
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Pan-Am Cyclocross Championships: Mia Aseltine and Henry Coote win U23 titles in Washington
USA dominates the U23 races with Alyssa Sarkisov taking silver in U23 women’s race, and Marcis Shelto takes junior silver for men -
Pan-Am Cyclocross Championships: Andrew Strohmeyer solos to elite men’s title
Eric Brunner takes second, Jules Van Kempen third in Washington, DC -
Pan-Am Cyclocross Championships: Lizzy Gunsalus edges Maghalie Rochette for elite women's title
Defending champion Sidney McGill takes bronze -
UEC European Cyclocross Championships: Inge van der Heijden leads Dutch sweep ahead of Lucinda Brand and Aniek van Alphen at elite women’s race
Van der Heijden led from start to finish on sandy Middelkerke course
