2023-07-12 07:37:37
We celebrate this Wednesday, the quarter century of the victory of the Blues in the World Cup, July 12, 1998. Remember: and 1, and 2, and 3-0. The Tour de France will not have time to think about this anniversary. It’s going to go fast on the course of a flat stage which ends with a long straight line of 800 m on which the sprinters will be able to have fun and rub shoulders.
Clermont-Ferrand – Moulins: 179.8 km.
Departure of the caravan at 11:25 a.m. – Fictitious departure at 1:05 p.m. – Expected arrival around 5:30 p.m.
Number: 1
Since 1947, 750 different cities have received at least once a stage of the Tour de France, at the start or at the finish. Clermont-Ferrand, for example, where the peloton starts this Wednesday, has been on the map 13 times since the end of the war. But in these 750 cities does not appear Moulins. This is the first time that the prefecture of Allier, the capital of the Dukes of Bourbon, has hosted the Tour. Two months ago, the city was adorned with yellow to welcome the heroes of July with great fanfare for a sprint that promises to be massive.
Our favorites
It’s hard to see who other than a sprinter can win this perfectly flat stage. It will pass through Montluçon, the stronghold of Julian Alaphilippe, but this is not a profile for him. When we think of a sprinter on this Tour, we obviously think of Jasper Philipsen. The Belgian (Alpecin-Deceuninck) has already won in Bayonne, Nogaro and Bordeaux. And 1, and 2, and 3 and 4…? It’s possible. Its leader, Mathieu van der Poel, will put it in the best possible conditions. Mark Cavendish no longer there, who can prevent him from triumphing? Why not the Australian Caleb Ewan. His Lotto Dstny team is chasing a first bouquet and the chances of winning one won’t be so numerous.
The tracer’s eye, Thierry Gouvenou
“Moulins will host the Tour de France for the first time in history. The idea of the day is a temporization of difficulties. We tried to circumvent the massifs and almost everything that can be climbed via Montluçon in order to be as flat as possible. The desire is for the sprinters to be able to put themselves forward. The finish straight is almost 800m long. It should put on a nice show for those who like nice sprints. Since we will have had a rest day two days earlier, the sprinters should not have any problems with the state of freshness. »
#Tour #France #route #profile #11th #stage #ClermontFerrand #Moulins