The end of the beginning
This stage marks the halfway point of the Tour but the sprinters will have already past most of their winning opportunities. After today, the only two stages where they will be expecting to get a look-in are in Montpellier and 11 days down the line on the Champs-Elysées. Consequently, it will be a surprise if they allow this stage to elude them. That said, there will be many baroudeurs who have come up with a similar assessment of their own prospects, unless they are the kind of breakaway specialist who can stay the pace on seriously big climbs. A bunch finish… probably.
-
UCI, Alpecin-Deceuninck to pursue bidon thrower 'so that such behaviour is severely punished'
Mathieu van der Poel's team: 'misbehaviour of a few individuals can have far-reaching consequences' -
'Without you, I would probably have stopped my career' – Remco Evenepoel thanks wife Oumi in emotional post ahead of return from 'dark period'
Olympic champion primed for first race since October at Friday's Brabantse Pijl after 'the hardest battle of my life so far' -
What's next for Paris-Roubaix's protagonists? – Van der Poel ends Classics campaign as Pogačar heads to favoured terrain in the Ardennes
Dutchman and world champion not set to face off again until Tour de France in July after historic trio of one-day duels -
Sigrid Haugset finished Paris-Roubaix with fractured hip after crash with 60km to go
'When you’re in a race, you want to finish' says Norwegian after riding 59km, including 18km of cobbles, with injury
