Date: Thursday, July 10
Distance: 201.5km
Start location: Bayeux
Finish location: Vire Normandie
Start time: 12:35 CEST
Finish time: 17:14 CEST (approx.)
Today’s departure town is famous for housing the Bayeux Tapestry, one of the marvels and most miraculously preserved artefact of the Romanesque era. Standing 50cm high and a sprawling 70 metres long, it’s a beautifully constructed embodied cloth made in the eleventh century that depicts the Norman conquest of England. It tells the story of William the Conqueror as he set sail with his army from Normandy across England, took to the battlefield at Hastings to fight the English forces, and killed the king Harold with an arrow to his eye, leading to William’s coronation as King.
To analogously compare where we currently are in the Tour de France in relation to the narrative of the Bayeux Tapestry, you could say we’re at the crossing of the channel — it’s still early in the story, but tensions are beginning to rise. The stage travels through the area known as Norman Switzerland, a moniker that reflects both its similarly rugged landscape characterised by gorges and woodlands, and the hilly terrain. While yesterday’s time trial was the most significant GC stage so far, the parcours is challenging enough today to form the clearest hierarchy yet of who’s climbing the best.
In fact, the total elevation gain of 3,550m is more than any other stage before the races reaches the Massif Central at the end of the first week, and more than any stage not listed as being in the ‘mountains’; and greater even than the third week stage that ends with a climb of Mont Ventoux. This looks set to be a war of attrition. There are six climbs in total, all of them (excepting the final climb category four climb) rated category three. They’re spread out across the whole stage, which, lasting just over 200km, is the second longest of the whole race. It’s going to be a long, arduous day in the saddle, and likely to be made even harder by riders battling at the start of the day to get into the day’s break, which has a reasonable chance of survival.
This stage also differs from the previous puncheur days this week in the nature of its uphill finish. The finish at Vire Normandie is the steepest so far, averaging just over 10% for 700 metres, which, while too short to be the preserve of the pure climbers, is still asking a lot of the heavier puncheurs to be able to sustain a sprint for that long up such steep gradients. Those fast finishers who can also handle such gradients could be in with a chance; riders like the stage winner from last year, Kévin Vauquelin, who originates from this part of the world having been born in Bayeux. But given how many uphill kilometres will already have been completed prior to it, this could be one for the climbers rather than the puncheurs, with small time gaps between the GC favourites likely.
Contenders
Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin‑Deceuninck) remains a favourite on the punchy stages despite losing the yellow jersey on stage five. The new yellow jersey wearer, Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates‑XRG) is likely his biggest rival — fresh off his 100th career win in stage four and a relentless threat in tight, hilly finales.
After a disappointing TT on Wednesday, Jonas Vingegaard (Visma-Lease a Bike) will want to shake off any doubts now circulating about is GC challenge. His teammate Matteo Jorgenson adds depth in support and is a threat himself.
GC men like Remco Evenepoel (Soudal–Quick‑Step) — fresh off a storming TT win and Oscar Onley (Team Picnic PostNL) who has quietly impressed, will contend too. The surprise of the Tour so far, Kévin Vauquelin (Arkéa-B&B Hotels) should also be up there in a home stage for the rider from Normandy.
However, the new leaders UAE Team Emirates-XRG may not want to have to control all day on the challenging parcours and so this could be the day for the breakaway. Romain Grégoire (Groupama‑FDJ), Aurélien Paret‑Peintre (Decathlon‑AG2R La Mondiale), Julian Alaphilippe (Tudor Pro Cycling), Thibau Nys (Lidl-Trek), Wout van Aert (Visma), Ben Healy (EF Education–EasyPost) and Valentin Madouas (Groupama–FDJ) could all be eyeing this stage for a chance at Tour glory.
Prediction
We think the breakaway will take the stage and Ben Healy will come out on top on the lumpy finale.
