Week two of the 2024 Tour de France begins with a four-day trip south to the Pyrénées, beginning with stage 10, from Orléans to Saint-Amand-Montrond. The 187.3km day, on paper, seems to be like a simple run for the sprinters however historical past has proven there’s a threat it could possibly be something however a straightforward return from the remainder day for the general contenders.
Mark Cavendish (Astana-Qazaqstan) might have good recollections from that memorable 2013 Tour de France stage to Saint-Amand-Montrond, the place he sprinted to victory forward of a inexperienced jersey clad Peter Sagan to say his twenty fifth win however the GC contenders could also be hoping for a much less chaotic day than unfolded slightly over a decade in the past.
Cavendish claimed that win from a number one group of eight as the sphere was stretched out and scattered behind after the race was unexpectedly affected by wind and echelons. That allowed Alberto Contador and Bauke Mollema to drag again greater than a minute on Chris Froome whereas a puncture hit Alejandro Valverde plunged down the general standings from second to sixteenth after dropping nearly ten minutes.
This time spherical, it might take far much less to dramatically alter the GC panorama, with race chief Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates) simply 33 seconds forward of Remco Evenepoel (Soudal-Quickstep) and defending champion Jonas Vingegaard (Visma-Lease a Bike) at 1:15 again, with Primož Roglič (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) one other 19 seconds behind in fourth.
In 2024 the race heads out of Orléans and thru the Sologne forest, on flat and guarded roads for the primary 62 kilometres to Issoudun however that adjustments as soon as within the Cher division, the place the riders will discover themselves working their approach in the direction of Saint-Amand-Montrond on roads uncovered to the crosswinds.
With three course switches within the final 30 kilometres, there might be an actual likelihood of echelons forming identical to they did in the course of the stage within the space simply over a decade in the past, however little question this time, given the historical past, the general contenders might be on excessive alert.
As would be the groups of the sprinters, who won’t need to miss out on this opportunity to both begin or add to their Tour tally.
Biniam Girmay (Intermarché-Wanty) might be in search of his third Tour de France stage win, after being the one rider up to now to have claimed two wins within the 2024 race. Stage 6 winner Dylan Groenewegen (Jayco-AlUla) could be slipping on his aero sun shades to attempt to double up as nicely whereas Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin-Deceuninck), who dominated the sprints final 12 months, might be chasing his first win of this version, after having come shut with second on stage 8’s final dash battle.
Then after all there may be Cavendish, who took his report breaking thirty fifth victory on stage 5, however actually hasn’t given up the hunt – maybe he might make it a thirty sixth in Saint-Amand-Montrond.
Stage 10 Sprints
- Intermediate dash, km 57.1