Tour de France: Stage 5 preview
Stage 5 map, profile and Chris Boardman video preview
Rouen – St-Quentin
Distance: 196.5km
Highest point: 205m
Category: Flat
All set for the sprinters
Having zigged to the west, the race zags back to the east and begins its march towards the mountains with this straightforward stage into St-Quentin. Mark Cavendish has won stage 5 of the Tour in three of the past four seasons and is sure to be well backed to continue that run here. There are no difficulties at all. The terrain is ideal for chasing down a small breakaway group, while the finish is straight and wide enough to provide the sprinters with a great stage on which to perform. Tribute will be paid today to Jean Robic, whose 1947 Tour-winning break began at the location of the start.
Jérémy Roy: "Because the route follows one general direction, everything will depend on the weather – if the wind is from a bad angle there will be people everywhere! The sprint teams will try to control the race so it will be difficult to get away."
Maps and profiles courtesy of ASO
The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!
Latest on Cyclingnews
-
Riders signed, UCI paperwork complete and Alex Howes says 'it's going to happen' for Modern Adventure Pro Cycling
'We're gonna be in the states as much as we can' says co-director of US men's team, looking at road and gravel races for 2026 -
Good news for Uno-X Mobility - Intermarché did not apply for 2026-2028 WorldTour licence
UCI releases list of WorldTour, ProTeam applicants: Ma Petite Entreprise women, George Hincapie's Modern Adventure team applies for ProTeam -
How to get a super neat bike light setup - Tips and tricks to clean up your bike this winter
How exactly can you clean up your front light setup? -
Best electric road bikes: Go farther, faster
The best electric road bikes will give you the feel and ride of a top-end road bike, but provide a boost when needed