Direction Ardèche for the Tour de France this Wednesday with a stage of 183 km between Gap in the Hautes-Alpes and Privas in Ardèche.
The departure is scheduled at 1.20 pm and the expected arrival around 5.30 pm.
Promised to sprinters
It's all flat and it's rare this year.
Only two small 4th category ribs are on the daily menu on the final part of the stage.
Suffice to say that the sprinters must make the most of it despite the false flat at the finish.
For them, this summer, the opportunities are rare.
Unless there is a big problem in the race, the Yellow Jersey should not change tenant this Wednesday.
Alaphilippe in yellow at Gap in 2019
Gap is a common passage point for the Grande Boucle.
This is the 19th time since the end of World War II that Gap has been on the map.
The last time the roller snake came to town was in 2019 and at the time Julian Alaphilippe was in yellow and Italian Matteo Trentin had won the stage that was arriving in the city.
Privas, a rarity
Privas is not a usual Tour de France destination.
Very far from it, even.
The last time the Tour landed its caravan in town was in 1966 and at the time it was a stage start.
In this Tour won by Lucien Aimar, the yellow jersey that day, July 6, 1966, was called Karl-Heinz Kunde.
This is the first time that an finish has been judged in Privas, the capital of chestnut cream.