After the opening trilogy in Denmark, the 109th Tour de France will continue in northern France. On 171.5 hilly kilometers it goes from Dunkirk in a large southern arc to the neighboring city of Calais. Breakaways should calculate their chances on this fourth stage.
After the opening trilogy in Denmark, the 109th Tour de France will continue in northern France. On 171.5 hilly kilometers it goes from Dunkirk in a large southern arc to the neighboring city of Calais. Breakaways should calculate their chances on this fourth stage.
Van Aert:
He may have the leader’s yellow jersey, but only three second places so far. On the fourth stage, Wout van Aert finally wants his first stage win – if only for his own mood. “I have to force myself to be happy,” said the Belgian about his yellow jersey. Victories are much more important to van Aert than just being the placeholder in the overall standings.
Northwest:
On the stages in Denmark, the wind mostly blew from the front. The dreaded wind edges did not materialize, and some drivers described the stages as a training ride. There could be action in the last 20 kilometers to Calais. The wind should come from the northwest and thus from the side. That should lead to nervousness in the field.
Coast of Cap Blanc-Nez:
The raw numbers aren’t exactly scary. The Cote du Cap Blanc-Nez is 900 meters long and has an average gradient of 7.5 percent. For most sprinters, however, the hill 11.5 kilometers from the finish line is probably too difficult. The climb on the Channel Coast should be the key part of the stage, teams of climbing sprinters like van Aert or Peter Sagan will put a lot of pressure on.
