Stage 1 preview

All change on day one

The Tour starts with a road stage rather than the traditional prologue time trial and with an uphill finish too. The day starts in unusual fashion as well, with the riders parading over the Passage du Gois, which disappears under the high tide. When underway, the riders initially follow the coast, where the wind could have an impact, before heading inland to Les Herbiers and the finish on the Mont des Alouettes, where classics powerhouses such as Tom Boonen and Thor Hushovd will be pitted against puncheurs like Philippe Gilbert.

Details -
Distance: 191.5 km
Highest point: 257m
Category: Flat

Bernhard Eisel says...
"A causeway – what a crazy place to start the Tour! Crosswinds along the coast, big chance of echelons, let the madness begin! Everybody will say 'I've never seen so many crashes' but of course we have – every year during the first week at the Tour."

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