At over 200 kilometres, stage 11 in the Tour de France travels from Eymet to Pau, which is the gateway to the Pyrenees. Yet today the red carpet is rolled out for the sprinters.
Pau and the Tour de France are intertwined. As for the 68th time, the city in the foothills of the Pyrenees is to host La Grande Boucle.
In recent editions Pau was merely departure place. We have to go back to 2012 for the last finish of a Tour stage. Back then, Pierrick Fédrigo brought an early escape home, finishing 12 minutes ahead of the peloton. Who is going to step in his shoes?
A sprinter or, maybe, an attacker. That’s about the flavours we have. The GC men will keep their powder dry. They will need their energy when the peloton hits the Pyrenees in the next few days.
The first three riders on the line take time bonuses at 10, 6 and 4 seconds.