Another day for the fast men
Just as there were three 'transition' stages across southern France to reach the Pyrénées, there is another trio across the north and centre to carry the peloton to the Alps. This is the first and looks nailed on for a bunch finish. There are no climbs, the roads are wide and straight, and the intermediate sprint lies close enough to the finish to suggest the sprinters will be interested in contesting both if the battle for green is still ongoing. In addition, Tours is well known for looking favourably on sprinters, who tend to decide October's Paris-Tours Classic between them. The finish today is not on the Avenue de Grammont. On this occasion, the line will be in front of the city's exhibition centre. Coming into Tours, the race will pass a number of the breathtaking châteaux in the Loire valley, notably at Langeais and Villandry, where the TV helicopters are sure to linger over the spectacular gardens. By then, the peloton will be racing at full bore, ensuring no one clips off the front before the finish.
Barry Hoban: "We all know that Tours is the home of what they call the sprinters' Classic and it's hard to see any other finale but a bunch finish here. This is one of the easier stages of the race and there shouldn't be anything to trouble anyone, especially as the race is on wide roads for most of the day."
Tom Boonen has never won Paris- Tours but he did claim a bunch sprint victory on the Avenue de Grammont in the 2005 Tour. It's been six years since the Belgian last won a stage at the Tour and his plan was to miss it this year. However, Mark Cavendish would like him in the Omega Pharma line-up as part of his lead-out train.
Maps and profiles courtesy of ASO
-
Giro d'Italia stage 9 LIVE: Giulio Ciccone launches counter attack to try and bridge to breakaway
The riders head to the ski resort of Corno alle Scale for the Giro's second summit finish -
Rund um Köln: Laurence Pithie outwits Pinarello-Q36.5 pair to win from late break despite being outnumbered
Kiwi rider beats Fred Wright in three-man sprint as leaders hold off peloton in finale -
Itzulia Women: Mischa Bredewold secures overall victory with daredevil descending as Dominika Włodarczyk doubles up to win final stage
Polish rider sprints to the win on stage 3 as Bredewold fights back after being dropped on Mendizorrotz climb -
'Most important we win GC, it's not a goal to dominate' – Emulating Pogačar's all-conquering Giro d'Italia not a focus for Jonas Vingegaard with pink as priority
Ahead of Sunday's summit finish to Corno alle Scale, Visma DS Marc Reef says 'we would like to win maybe one or two more stages' with Dane
