Calm before the storm
The Alps are reached with a fairly straight forward run through the ruggedly beautiful Drôme region to Gap. The overall contenders will be happy to save themselves for three much-tougher days to come, which all but guarantees a break going early and staying clear all the way to the finish. The road rises steadily all the way until the main difficulty of the day, the 2nd-category Col de Manse. At almost 10km, this climb is long enough to split the lead group. The drop from it into the finish takes in the Rochette descent where Joseba Beloki memorably came to grief in 2003.
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Happy with third, Florian Lipowitz knew he would ‘explode' if he followed Pogačar on Dauphiné stage 7
His performance does not change the plan to assist team leader Primož Roglič at Tour de France -
Israel-Premier Tech look to Matthew Riccitello, Mike Woods for unpredictable Tour de Suisse
Riccitello looks to better last year’s fifth-place finish -
‘You have to seize these moments’ - Romain Bardet on his solo stage 7 attack on Criterium du Dauphine
Frenchman will be on a moto for second week of Tour de France -
Tour Féminin des Pyrénées: Usoa Ostolaza climbs to stage 2 victory and into GC lead
Nadia Gontova takes second, Ségolène Thomas third on Col du Soulor
