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Tour de France 2020 | Stage 3 (Nice - Sisteron, 198 km)

Sep 20, 2017
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The second-longest stage of the race, as the Tour finally leaves Nice behind. The profile is the most Vuelta-esque yet, but even so, we should get another sprint.

Map
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Profile
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Timetable
Start: 12:10
Col du Pilon: 13:39/13:42/13:46
Col de la Faye: 13:51/13:55/14:00
Col des Lèques: 15:08/15:16/15:25
Col de l'Orme: 15:58/16:09/16:21
Intermediate sprint: 16:09/16:20/16:33
Finish: 17:03/17:17/17:33

Climbs
The stage kicks off with two uncategorised climbs to Gattières and Chateauneuf-Grasse. Shortly after the latter, the main difficulty of the day starts, with the third-category Col du Pilon...
PilonE.gif

...almost immediately followed by the Col de la Faye, another cat. 3. Given the current mountain classification, we could see the jersey change hands here.
FayeS.gif

Only the final 5.5k of this profile.

The climbing is not yet over, though, as the stage reaches the highest point of the day at Col de Valferrière, from where a mostly-downhill section brings the riders to the Col de Luens. Both climbs go uncategorised, however. This can not be said of the next climb, the cat. 3 Col des Lèques.
LequesE.gif

From here, the character of the stage changes dramatically. The final 80k are mostly flat or downhill, with only the easy cat. 4 Col de l'Orme to break things up. The intermediate sprint at Digne-les-Bains follows its descent almost directly.

Finish
Nearly flat, and once again on a largely straight road, with a roundabout as the only obstacle in the final 5k. Note that the left-hand side is shorter here, positioning will be key.
20082039626-streckenverlauf-tour-de-france-2020---etappe-3-letzte-5-km.jpg


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General classification after Stage 2
  1. Julian Alaphilippe
  2. Adam Yates + 0.04
  3. Marc Hirschi + 0.07
  4. Sergio Higuita + 0.17
  5. Tadej Pogacar s.t.
  6. Esteban Chaves s.t.
  7. Davide Formolo s.t.
  8. Egan Bernal s.t.
  9. Richard Carapaz s.t.
  10. Tom Dumoulin s.t.
Points classification after Stage 2
  1. Alexander Kristoff 64
  2. Peter Sagan 46
  3. Matteo Trentin 36
  4. Sam Bennett 35
  5. Julian Alaphilippe 30
KOM classification after Stage 2
  1. Benoît Cosnefroy 18
  2. Anthony Perez 18
  3. Michael Gogl 12
  4. Toms Skujins 6
  5. Kasper Asgreen 6
Young riders classification after Stage 2
  1. Marc Hirschi
  2. Sergio Higuita + 0.02
  3. Tadej Pogacar s.t.
  4. Egan Bernal s.t.
  5. Enric Mas s.t.
 
Last edited:
Jun 10, 2017
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I can't see Quickstep really drilling this one, especially with tomorrow to think of, unless they think Bennett can make it over the Leques, and Ewan, Bol, Kristoff, Viviani etc can't.
 
May 14, 2017
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Intermediate sprint with less than 40km to go. Don´t think the pure sprinters will even try it. Sagan vs Kristoff vs Trentin seems to be the most likely battle for green.
 
May 17, 2013
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Thanks for the OP.

When so many are licking their wounds, want their guy(s) to recover and be there week 3, the BOD has a chance, except that Alaf' will want to protect and the sprinters will want to partake. No GC action. Meh stage, but usually in the Tour we get 4-5-6-7-8 in a row, so one I can live with it.
 
Feb 23, 2014
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Ewan, I think, was dead last today. He’s ready. Still Sagan will beat him. He will handle the stage fatigue better.
 
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Jun 10, 2017
5,246
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Ewan, I think, was dead last today. He’s ready. Still Sagan will beat him. He will handle the stage fatigue better.

We'll learn early who thinks they have the legs and who doesn't. If Bora are on the front on the climbs, Sagan is feeling good. If Ewan loses contact on the climbs, Lotto don't currently have the manpower to bring him back. But they also don't have the backup option of Degenkolb, who probably would make the cut.


Maybe it's a deGendt day?
 
Oct 15, 2017
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Not the hardest climbs but a lot of up and down. Some uncategorized climbs in there too.

It could be a hard day if the break doesnt go immediately and if there is potential for some crosswinds.
 
Feb 20, 2012
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Probably a sprint but above average chance for a breakaway. Lotto is already decimated. DQS has a yellow t shirt.
 
Sep 2, 2011
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If this was ridden in the third week, the break would have a much higher chance of success.
But teams are still very fresh, regardless of day 1 crashes. I can't see all of the sprinters teams letting this one go.