Early test for the favourites
Measuring just 23km and on flat roads all the way, this team time trial test is designed to split up the contenders for the yellow jersey but not to the point where any of them end up totally out of contention. The equivalent stage run over 19.3km on the opening day of May's Giro d'Italia ended with just 73 seconds separating HTC in first place and Euskaltel in last. On that basis the gap between top and bottom today shouldn't be as much as two minutes, but that same Giro stage also suggests that euskaltel leader Samuel Sánchez is likely to be the main loser here.
Details -
Distance: 23 km
Highest point: 76m
Category: Team time-trial
Vin Denson says...
"It's a great spectacle, even though it's short and flat. It won't make any major difference unless somebody crashes. Garmin and Liquigas are in the frame but I wouldn't look beyond HTC. They're super-powerful and they'll be really motivated…"
Stage map
Stage profile
-
Who is the next Tadej Pogačar? - These are the super talents who could win the Tour de France before 2030
From Evenepoel to Seixas and Torres to Widar, here are the Grand Tour riders of the next decade -
Puck Pieterse forgoes Rwanda Road Worlds to focus on title defense at Mountain Bike World Championships in Switzerland
Reigning U23 women's road winner already back at MTB World Cup series to prepare for elite women's XCO race on September 13 -
Renewi Tour: Mathieu van der Poel powers past Arnaud De Lie to win stage 3 on the cobbles
Tim Wellens fades to third from breakaway trio and hands over GC lead to De Lie -
'I’m going to enjoy it' – Matteo Jorgenson relieved at Tadej Pogačar's absense from Vuelta a España
US rider ready to find out how body reacts to riding two Grand Tours in a season as he rides in support of Jonas Vingegaard
