The first of three mountain stages in the Pyrenees, this one should be for the breakaway meaning a ferocious start to the stage just to hitch a ride on the wagon for the day and then three sharp climbs to help pick the winner later. The GC riders will probably aim to conserve energy ahead of tomorrow’s stage but that’s a tall order on this long day.
It’s been a long week. The BMC Racing have been rescued, numerous GC contenders have fallen or faded. There’s still uncertainty over the general classification and the eventual winner of the Tour de France, not something we’ve experienced for some time. Geraint Thomas is in a strong position but the more Team Sky deploy their habitual tactics, the more it suits Tom Dumoulin.
The breakaway stage par excellence, today’s route offers many in the peloton a shot at glory. There’s also a trap for the overall contenders as the forecast says the local Vent d’Autan will blow, promising crosswinds for the finish.
Nairo Quintana and his Movistar team mates have yellow helmets. It’s because they lead the Tour de France’s team competition and is a visible sign of a largely hidden but sometimes tactically significant prize.
The team prize is the least understood of the official classifications in the Tour de France but it can have a direct tactical influence on the race. With all that’s going on in the race this prize rarely gets any attention but it matters to some.
A good day for the breakaway and the tough finish above Mende that’s always harder than it looks on paper.
A sprint stage? Probably but with few sprinters left in the race it means fewer teams to chase.
Back in 2015 this blog looked at the explosion of podcasts on offer, marvelling at the audio choice. Now those look like lean days, the medium has taken off and there’s more choice than ever. A few suggestions and feel free to share yours in the comments below…
Hardly a metre of flat, if some riders tried to save energy yesterday then today was a reason. It’s only 108km and packs in four good climbs.
The Tour heads into the mountains with the first of three consecutive Alpine stages. There’s no gentle start, this is a hard stage with some steep climbs throughout.
