Round 1 of the breakaway world championships.
The course is shortened by about 30km because of the ongoing heat wave.
Postcard from Port-de-Couze
The race will go through Port-de-Couze with 25km to go as it speeds towards Bergerac. It’s here that the greatest ever tragedy to afflict the Tour de France occurred.
Tour de France Stage 6 Preview
The big stage in the Pyrenees. The breakaway has a good chance today and the first hour or more should be lively. Those wanting to win the stage will be active and look for teams with GC contenders trying to place riders in the move.
Longer, Hotter Summers
Things are hotting up at the Four de France. It’s going to be a warm day but there’s the trend of rising temperatures to consider.
Postcard from Vic-en-Bigorre
Today’s stage starts in Lannemezan and passes through Castelnau-Magnoac where Antoine Dupont was born and grew up. He’s the world’s best rugby player and rooted in this area, owning a family restaurant and often portrayed as the local son. He might make guest appearance at the start.
There’s another local sportsman to celebrate. Bruno Armirail was born in Tarbes and grew up in Bagnères-de-Bigorre by the foot of the Pyrenees and went to school in Vic-en-Bigorre, location for today’s intermediate sprint.
Tour de France Stage 5 Preview
A day of wild suspense awaits. Ok, it’s sprint stage so the suspense will come late in the day but it could be more unpredictable than many a mountain stage.
Postcard from Carcassonne
The stage starts in Carcassonne, the eighth start or finish in ten years. Tim Wellens won Stage 15 here last year. But something has changed since then.