Day 3 begins, lets see what's in store:
215km due south with names like Binche and Fourmies that evoke late season one day races and 150km to Reims. Then it’s out into the “Montagne de Reims”, nothing Alpine but this is part of the area where grapes for champagne are grown and as well as the tourism promotion it means sharp climbs amid the sloping vineyards. They’re hard work but they’re spaced apart which allows the race a brief moment to regroup, for riders to make up position.
The first climb isn’t counted by the race but it’s the Rue de la Montagne and climbs for 2km at an average of 5% with a steeper second part, all on a regular road. The second climb out of Nanteuil is rectiligne, a straight line up a regular road to the first mountains classification point of the day and followed by a regular descent down to the Marne valley. Then it’s across to the “Côte de Hautvilliers”, better known to locals as Côte des Morts, the climb “of the dead”, and it’s 1km at 10%, all on a narrow road to Hautvilliers – where Dom Pérignon is buried – and then across to the next climb by Champillon which isn’t as technical but is the longest and highest of the categorised climbs.
The final climb is out of the valley to Mutigny and a sharp ramp, just 900m but 12% and narrow too and with the 8-5-2 seconds time bonus. From the top there’s 16km to go, a quick descent through the vineyards before things calm down with wide and flat roads into Epernay…
The Finish: …only with 5km to go there’s a stinker of a climb, it flicks off the main road into town to tackle a small lane that drags up before 700 of 8% which steepens just before the top and then chased by a steep and narrow descent into town. Here there’s 3km to go on boulevards as they circle town and, instead of finishing outside any of the elegant champagne houses, they head for a residential housing estate. It’s not as s**** but it’s there’s logic, the road drags up under the flamme rouge before kicking up one last time to the line, first with a straight ramp of 6% and then after a right hand bend the road goes up then eases off, up then eases off, then up again like some infernal interval session with the final 300m at over 10%
The profile? lumpy-ish
And the finish?
Lovely, so who's in the mix?
The Contenders: There’s a long list of riders capable of winning today but Julian Alaphilippe (Deceuninck-Quickstep) is the prototype rider for today, he’s agile on the sharp climbs, confident on the narrow descents and the 10% slope to the finish line is perfect for his sprint. He’s got plans for today and has ridden the final 40km in recon. But it’s all so obvious, surely he’s going to be man-marked to the point of riders queing to be on his wheel.
Dan Martin (UAE Emirates) has mentioned today as a stage he’s got his eye on and he’s ridden the finale too. Alejandro Valverde (Movistar) is another prototype rider for today but hasn’t been as convincing this season. Max Schachmann (Bora-Hansgrohe) is another prototype for today.
Now for three tandems, Bahrain-Merida have Dylan Teuns and Matej Mohorič with Dauphiné stage winner Teuns probably better for the uphill finish. Alberto Bettiol (EF Education First) is a strong rider and in form but has a low win rate and if he could make the selection, how to win from the group while for team mate Michael Woods today might not be hard enough. Lotto-Soudal’s Tim Wellens and Tiesj Benoot have terrain to suit, it’s midway between the Flanders and Ardennes climbs.
What chance the sprinters? Zero for the pure sprinters, but Peter Sagan (Bora-Hansgrohe) and Michael Matthews (Team Sunweb) will hope things aren’t too frantic in the finish and they can contest the uphill finish. Greg Van Avermaet (CCC) should feature but does he sprint for polka dot points or save energy for the finish, Michał Kwiatkowski is probably on bodyguard duty for Ineos and Michael Valgren is Dimension Data’s best shot.
Finally it’s been champagne for Jumbo-Visma so far but Mike Teunissen has his work cut out, he was good on the steep, cobbled Mont Cassel in the Four Days of Dunkerque but today is much harder, we’ll see if it’s Wout van Aert‘s chance today but for all his power and punch this is a tricky, hilly finish.
And as ever, a couple of pics from yesterday.
Tricky to call, because I’d like a break but you’ll not get one with Wellens/Alaphillipe in so sadly it’s a sprint finish.. which could be anyone’s...
Tough one..
Alaphillipe then.
Oh, if you’ve not ridden around Eperney you should put it on your list.. going south out of Eperney is stunning. Plenty of hotels in the town too.. and the beverage (Go local, not the branded stuff) is Wow..
Michał Kwiatkowski is probably on bodyguard duty for Ineos
If it wasn't for that minor detail, he'd be my first pick for today!
I've not said it on the first couple of days but excellent work Lunge, much appreciated.
Pretty obvious but Alaphillipe for the win, though it'd be great to see Martin do it.
Don’t you at least owe INRNG a link to his content that you have “borrowed”?
To be fair, I've linked back to then every other day for the last 3 years of tour posting, but today I was in a hurry and forgot. My bad.
I'd like GvA to win this one. Not sure if he has the form though.
I'm having a cheeky dib for Wout van Aert, I think
Sagan - I can see there being a break that Jumbo will let go and it'll come together right at the end, but no-one will really expect Sagan to go for it which is of course when he does
WvA, would love to see him in the mix.
The tail wind must be enjoyable for the riders. Also the fact the weather has cooled down from last weeks heat wave.
I'd love Dan Martin for the stage. Can his team get him there (dislike the white shorts a lot).
Fabulous countryside, dry, hot and sunny.. they’re just in Reims area..
oh!
Wanty in the break 🤯🤪👊🙄
Wellans in the break too... which i really didn't expect at all..
And he's just popped off the front with 47k to go... and simply left the others in the break for dead..
😳
🤪😘
Blimey Millar talks some crap sometimes. Sagan was not posing on the front to suggest "Hey Mortals look how strong I am don't even think about it!" he was doing what all sprinters do on climbs when they can, giving himself some wiggle room to drop back when the climbers kick off so he's not spat out the back.
Fantastic ride from Alaphilippe though.
He even gave it some Voeckler gurning towards the end.
Oh and G has set up Egan nicely to have to do all the interviews after the Planche - well if Kruijswijk doesn't take the yellow jumper back for Jumbo Visma.
Highlights on ITV4 now.
Man, Rob Hatch on eurosport does my head in with his ostentatious pronunciation
Might have to defect to ITV.
We were at the finish today, Alaphillipe was awesome up the climb to the finish.
Great day out in a surprisingly lumpy part of France.
Staying in Reims tonight so of to the start village tomorrow.