TOUR DE FRANCE 2018 STAGE 4

After he took the yellow jersey in the team time trial at Cholet, Greg Van Avermaet will enjoy the sea view of the Atlantic Ocean even more at both start and finish of stage 4. 

La Baule is Europe’s longest beach (9km long) and one of the most prestigious holiday destinations in France, along with the gulf of Morbihan where the race will end in Sarzeau whose mayor is no other than UCI President David Lappartient. 

Stage 4 is surely dedicated to sprinters without any risk of crashing in curve near the finish like Fernando Gaviria did in La Roche-sur-Yon with the yellow jersey. It’s an usual 4-km long straight finish! Peter Sagan is back in the green jersey and keen to win one more stage although the following one will suit him even more. 

All top sprinters are looking for their first win at the 2018 Tour de France: Marcel Kittel, André Greipel, Mark Cavendish, Arnaud Démare, Dylan Groenewegen… None of them have the double goal of stage win and yellow jersey anymore. It’s all about being first in front of the president.

TOUR DE FRANCE 2018 STAGE 3

Stage 3 is the much anticipated team time trial. Many teams are scared to lose too much time, a few are super motivated.

Ten years after hosting an individual time trial, Cholet is back on the map of the Tour de France. The town being in a basin, it starts with a hill at 4 to 5%. The villages of La Romagne and La Séguinière on the way back aren’t flat either but it’s a mostly rolling course on which specialists Team Sky and BMC Racing Team can be at their ease on those 35km of swapping turns at a high speed.

Following the incidents of stage 1, only one Team Sky rider is with almost the same time as most of the other GC contenders. Geraint Thomas is even one second ahead of them after he collected one second of bonification at the bonus point of stage 2.

Hot favourites Team Sky have to beat Bora-Hansgrohe by fifteen seconds to bring the Welshman in the yellow jersey. Their challengers are BMC whose highest ranked rider is Greg Van Avermaet with a deficit of sixteen seconds from Peter Sagan.

TOUR DE FRANCE 2018 STAGE 2

Although the Tour de France regularly visits the Vendée province, stage 2 features the prefecture La Roche-sur-Yon on the map of the race for the first time since 1934 when it was the starting town of the first ever time trial in the history of the race. 

At the difference of stage 1 that was contested mostly along the coast of the Atlantic Ocean, the second day is completely inland, passing through Les Herbiers, the home of the famous Chrono des Nations time trial that brings down the curtain at the end of the European cycling season. 

It’s suitable for another breakaway from far out and another bunch sprint. After a first stint of the yellow jersey, Fernando Gaviria is hungry for more.