After heading in a Southerly direction on day two, the peloton veers northwest today on a mainly flat leg from Einsiedeln to Arlesheim. The course is perhaps a little lumpier than the previous two days but the biggest obstacles are the third category climbs at Hauenstein (690 metres, 107.5 km) and Ziegelschüren (638 metres, 171.4 km). In between the two of these is another climb to the summit of Ziegelschüren, 140.9 kilometres into the stage, although this one is ranked as a fourth category ascent. The difference is a slightly more difficult approach to the climb once the riders are doing their single lap of the 30.5 kilometre finishing circuit.
There are also two bonus sprints, at Arlesheim (149.2 km) and Hochwald (174 km). A bunch sprint is the most likely outcome, although attacking riders will give it a go on those uphills.
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