A trick in the tail
You could be forgiven for wondering whether Philippe Gilbert sketched out his dream scenario for week one and the Tour simply went with it. This is by some distance the Tour's longest stage, taking in undulating roads. There are no big hills as such, just constant up and downs taking a toll. Even though you would expect the sprinters to be in control in this region, there is sure to be a late twist on the short, sharp rise towards the basilica in Lisieux, little more than a kilometre from the finish. Any riders who gain seconds there are likely to dispute the finish between them.
Details -
Distance: 226.5 km
Highest point: 335m
Category: Lumpy
Sylwester Szmyd says...
"My guess is that the GC guys will be watching one another and that someone like Gilbert will win it. My role will be the same as ever on days like these – be vigilant and stay close to Basso, make sure gaps don't open and spend as little as possible."
Stage map
Stage profile
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'No reason to panic' – Remco Evenepoel drops down Volta a Catalunya standings as Florian Lipowitz closes in on podium
Belgian says 'I've felt worse two days after a fall' as tactics favour his German teammate -
'Today I lost a life for sure' - Tom Pidcock 'OK' after crashing into a ravine in the Volta a Catalunya out of sight of race
'I was far from the road and nobody knew I was there,' says Briton, bolstering UCI case for GPS tracking -
'I gave up, actually, because they were so close' – Mathieu van der Poel made to look human despite completing E3 Saxo Classic hat-trick with 'one of my best efforts'
Dutchman talks through 63km solo win after chasing quartet fumbled the catch in the final kilometres of a dramatic edition -
'It's not up to us' or 'there is no more time to gamble'? How big teams in the peloton failed to chase down Mathieu van der Poel in E3 Saxo Classic
The peloton was at one point only 30 seconds behind solo Dutchman, with numbers for many teams, but directors from Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe and Lidl-Trek disagree on where chasing responsibility lies
