2020 Tour de France stage 12 preview

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Stage 12: Chauvigny - Sarran Corrèze

Date: September 10, 2020 

Distance: 218km 

Stage start: 11:50 a.m. CEST

Stage type: Mountain

This Thursday affair is a long, rolling route that could suit sprinters, puncheurs or climbers. It takes the peloton back south into the Massif Central. It is not only the longest stage of this year’s race, but also the only one to exceed 200 kilometres.

There are four categorised climbs on the day, which come in the second half of the stage. The most likely scenario is that a big break goes, while the GC riders keep a wary eye on any of their rivals who might try something on the category 2 Suc au May, 26km from Sarran. This final climb averages 7.7 per cent over its 3.8km length, is the toughest test into Sarran, a village of 300 inhabitants that has hosted the Tour on a single occasion,19 years ago in 2001.  

From there, it’ll be a case of which riders can successfully work out the politics of the break to ensure that it goes all the way, but also that they can come out the winner. Will it be the best climber, the best puncheur or the best sprinter? Or will it be the rider who successfully finds the middle way?