After the rest day, it’s time for yet another sprint opportunity. The sprinters will have to work for it, though – there are six categorised climbs among the multitude of hills and it’s also another day where the wind could be a factor, so you’d think a fair few of them won’t make it to the line. Who will Van Aert finish second to this time?
Profile
Map
Route description
The stage starts from the coastal city of Dunkerque. Historically a part of Flanders, it became a pirate base in the Eighty Years’ War and would remain one for quite some time after it was conquered by France in the 17th century. Its proximity to England meant it played an important role in both World Wars, most notably in the form of the Dunkirk evacuation in 1940. Today, it is the third-largest port in France, and best-known in cycling circles for the not-actually-Four Days of Dunkerque.
On that note, we head to the classic climb of the Four Days, traditionally the home of the queen stage on the fifth day, Mont Cassel. It isn’t marked as such on the official profile but this is, in fact, the classic cobbled side (albeit on easy cobbles, from 1.2k to 2.4k and again from 2.7k to the end of the profile below).
Shortly after this, the route heads into Pas-de-Calais, where the remainder of the stage will play out. After a false-flat drag up to Wisques, the road descends back into the Aa valley for the intermediate sprint in Lumbres, atop a slight rise.
From here the going gets a bit tougher as the riders make their way through the Artois hills. The next climb, Côte de Remilly-Wirquin, is the second cat. 4 of the day.
This is followed by the Côte d’Ouve-Wirquin, which would have been a reasonable excuse to hand out KOM points on a flatter day, but today it’s barely one of the ten hardest hills. As you can see on the stage profile, it is immediately followed by a second, easier climb of which I don’t have a profile.
After this, the route turns north for a series of climbs, two of which are categorised, including the first one: Côte de Nielles-lès-Bléquin, better known as the Mont Bart.
Its descent is interrupted by this little kicker, Côte du Lusquet.
The next climb, Côte des Harlettes, is another cat. 4.
This hilly section ends with the Mont du Héteux, arguably the hardest hill of the day but not categorised.
The route west from here to the coast (which is reached at about 20k to go) is easier, although it does contain another cat. 4, Côte du Ventus.
There are still uncategorised hills to be had though, such as the Côte d’Hydrequent…
…and the Mont de la Louve.
Upon reaching the coast, the route turns northeast to follow the main road all the way into Calais. It takes in two final hills, the uncategorised Côte du Petit Blanc Nez…
…and the final KOM of the day, Côte du Cap Blanc-Nez, at the less famous counterpart of the White Cliffs of Dover. It’s the first kilometre of the profile below – at 10.8 to go, it’s certainly steep enough to trouble the sprinters, but both the climb and the run-in to the line are on wide roads.
Profile
Map
Route description
The stage starts from the coastal city of Dunkerque. Historically a part of Flanders, it became a pirate base in the Eighty Years’ War and would remain one for quite some time after it was conquered by France in the 17th century. Its proximity to England meant it played an important role in both World Wars, most notably in the form of the Dunkirk evacuation in 1940. Today, it is the third-largest port in France, and best-known in cycling circles for the not-actually-Four Days of Dunkerque.
On that note, we head to the classic climb of the Four Days, traditionally the home of the queen stage on the fifth day, Mont Cassel. It isn’t marked as such on the official profile but this is, in fact, the classic cobbled side (albeit on easy cobbles, from 1.2k to 2.4k and again from 2.7k to the end of the profile below).
Shortly after this, the route heads into Pas-de-Calais, where the remainder of the stage will play out. After a false-flat drag up to Wisques, the road descends back into the Aa valley for the intermediate sprint in Lumbres, atop a slight rise.
From here the going gets a bit tougher as the riders make their way through the Artois hills. The next climb, Côte de Remilly-Wirquin, is the second cat. 4 of the day.
This is followed by the Côte d’Ouve-Wirquin, which would have been a reasonable excuse to hand out KOM points on a flatter day, but today it’s barely one of the ten hardest hills. As you can see on the stage profile, it is immediately followed by a second, easier climb of which I don’t have a profile.
After this, the route turns north for a series of climbs, two of which are categorised, including the first one: Côte de Nielles-lès-Bléquin, better known as the Mont Bart.
Its descent is interrupted by this little kicker, Côte du Lusquet.
The next climb, Côte des Harlettes, is another cat. 4.
This hilly section ends with the Mont du Héteux, arguably the hardest hill of the day but not categorised.
The route west from here to the coast (which is reached at about 20k to go) is easier, although it does contain another cat. 4, Côte du Ventus.
There are still uncategorised hills to be had though, such as the Côte d’Hydrequent…
…and the Mont de la Louve.
Upon reaching the coast, the route turns northeast to follow the main road all the way into Calais. It takes in two final hills, the uncategorised Côte du Petit Blanc Nez…
…and the final KOM of the day, Côte du Cap Blanc-Nez, at the less famous counterpart of the White Cliffs of Dover. It’s the first kilometre of the profile below – at 10.8 to go, it’s certainly steep enough to trouble the sprinters, but both the climb and the run-in to the line are on wide roads.