It is no longer the Vosges, but the riders will not avoid new difficulties in the Jura with an arrival for punchers in Switzerland, at the end of a 186.3 km stage between Dole and Lausanne.
An Olympic finish uphill
The route will take two 4th category climbs and one 3rd category, between the Jura and the canton of Vaud in Switzerland.
A rugged course conducive to backpackers, which could be explained on arrival with a final bump (4.8 km at 4.6% on average, with passages at 12%), the coast of the Olympic Stadium.
Unless the Tour favorites are vying for victory in a new sprint at the top of the hill.
Yellow jersey Tadej Pogacar should have a quiet day.
Lausanne, city arriving for the 6th time
The Swiss city on the shores of Lake Geneva, headquarters of the IOC (International Olympic Committee), is one of the high places of world sport.
Lausanne welcomes for the 6th time a finish of the Tour.
The last time was in 2000, with the victory of Dutchman Erik Dekker.
The departure city, Dole (Jura), was chosen for the 200th anniversary of Louis Pasteur, born here and whose birthplace has become a museum.
Favorite: Dylan Teuns
The Belgian puncher from Bahrain Victorious is a legitimate contender for victory in Switzerland.
Well placed in Longwy in a similar finish, the winner of the Flèche Wallonne 2022 and two stages of the Tour in 2019 and 2021 will be closely watched.
The disappointed adventurers of this first week will also have their say.
The eye of Thierry Gouvenou, course manager
“A not very complicated stage, but with a final for punchers marked by this arrival at the Olympic stadium in Lausanne.
It will be difficult with four kilometers to finish.
And in the last kilometer, there is a passage at 15%.
We should still see the best of the general classification in the final.
Somehow, it's not extremely hard but it will solicit the organisms of the best one more day for them.
Since leaving Denmark, there has rarely been a day when they have been able to relax.
All this accumulation of stress could then pay off in the 3rd week.
Clearly, the idea is to accumulate.
Of course, we have no guarantee on the final scenario, but we can hope that it will end like this.
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