Samatan – Pau
Distance: 158.5km
Highest point: 324m
Category: Rolling
Calm before the storm
Rather than heading straight into the Pyrenees, this stage is flirting with them, bumping through the range’s foothills as it heads into Pau and the second rest day. There’s a string of climbs in the final third of the stage but they won’t knock all, if any, of the sprinters out of contention if the bunch is compact at that point. The teams that have failed to register any kind of success up to now will need to take advantage of days like this, especially if they don’t have an in-form climber in their ranks. Realistically, this stage and the one to come into Brive-la-Gaillarde will be their last chances to reap some kind of reward.
Allan Peiper: "The question here is how many of the top sprinters can get over the climbs? Matt Goss is a really good climber so he should be there to contend the finish. We’ll have to wait and see."
Maps and profiles courtesy of ASO
-
Really Rad Festival of Cyclocross: Maghalie Rochette and Andrew Strohmeyer earn elite titles at C1 races in Falmouth
Canadian junior national champion battles Rochette to the line in elite women's contest -
Fem van Empel celebrates 50th cyclocross victory at muddy Exact Cross race with handmade sign hidden in her kit
Dutch rider says she 'put a lot of pressure on myself, but the preparation was fun' -
Sonny Colbrelli departs Bahrain Victorious as sports director
Italian takes his leave as Gasparotto joins from Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe in staff shake-up at Bahrain -
Formula 1 Grand Prix course to provide twists and turns in Monaco start for 2026 Vuelta a España
9.6km individual time trial confirmed as stage 1 to open Spanish Grand Tour in 300 days
