The first half of the race is on rolling terrain with the second half mainly downhill with a flat finish. The sprinters teams should control things comfortably. The wind may be a factor though and a good tailwind could get the breaks hopes up.
Like all sprint stages in the 2014 Tour, the name Kittel is the first to spring to mind. André Greipel won’t be far away either. It is not a given that these 2 will mop up all stages however. See stage 2 in this year’s Tirreno-Adriatico for example, the first Cav/Kittel/Greipel-clash in 2014 was won by Italian Matteo Pelucchi (see details).
Mark Renshaw would love to be ‘the Pelucchi’ this time around, it would be his first triumph in a Tour de France stage. Same story for 22-year old Arnaud Démare (image) is another French hope. The newly crowned French champion would love to show his jersey off at the front of the field.
John Degenkolb is the perfect stand-in for Kittel should anything go wrong with the undoubted leader. The Giant team is built for sprints and quite likely the fastest team over flat ground.
Favourites:
Marcel Kittel
André Greipel
Outsiders:
Mark Renshaw
John Degenkolb
Arnaud Démare
Bryan Coquard
Tour de France 2014 stage 15: Images and more
Click on the images to zoom
Related articles Riders and teams - Tour de France 2014 Favourites - Tour de France 2014 Withdrawals - Tour de France 2014 Favourites - Tour de France 2014 Route - Tour de France 2014 More articles Vuelta Femenina 2024: Jackson wins chaotic sprint, Vas new leader
Vuelta Femenina 2024 Route stage 2: Buñol - Moncafa
Vuelta Femenina 2024 Route stage 3: Lucena - Teruel
Vuelta Femenina 2024: The Route
Vuelta Femenina 2024: Riders
Vuelta Femenina 2024 Route stage 4: Molina de Aragón - Zaragoza
Giro 2024: The Route
Giro 2024: Riders
Giro 2024: GC Favourites
Giro 2024 Route stage 1: Turin - Turin
Giro 2024 Favourites stage 1: Hilly race for pink
Giro 2024 Route stage 2: San Fransesco al Campo - Oropa
Giro 2024 Favourites stage 2: The King of Oropa
Giro 2024 Route stage 3: Novara - Fossano
Giro 2024 Favourites stage 3: For fast finishers #1
Giro 2024 Route stage 4: Acqui Terme - Andora
Giro 2024 Favourites stage 4: Mini Milan-San Remo
Giro 2024 Route stage 5: Genoa - Lucca
Giro 2024 Favourites stage 5: For fast finishers #2
Giro 2024 Route stage 6: Viareggio - Rapolano Terme
Giro 2024 Favourites stage 6: Mini Strade Bianche
Giro 2024 Route stage 7: Foligno - Perugia
Giro 2024 Route stage 15: Manerba del Garda - Livigno
Giro 2024 Route stage 16: Livigno - Monte Pana
Cycling Calendar 2024
Liège–Bastogne–Liège Femmes 2024: Brown wins six-up sprint
Tour de France 2024: The Route
Tour de France 2024: Riders
Tour de France 2024 Route stage 1: Florence - Rimini
Vuelta 2024: The Route