Tour de France 2015 Favourites stage 3 – Up to the puncheurs!
Leading from Antwerp to the Wall of Huy, stage 3 is set to detonate the fireworks on the super-steep closing climbs familiar from La Fleche Wallone. It is up to the puncheurs! (Slideshow route/profile)
Alejandro Valverde is favourite #1. The last two editions he outperformed his competition in the Fleche Wallonne, just like he did in 2006. So it is save to say he and the Wall of Huy are on very good terms. He will be challenged by Degenkolb, who out-powered the Spaniard on a steep wall in the Dubai Tour, world champion Michal Kwiatkowski, Peter Sagan and Greg Van Avermaet, who took a stage with a super-steep finish in the recent Tirreno-Adriatico.
Other likely contenders are Joaquim Rodriguez, the winner of the Fleche Wallone 2012, and Simon Gerrans, winner of last year's Liege-Bastogne-Liege. Daniel Navarro was victorious in a 2014 Vuelta-stage with a short and super-steep finale, while Dan Martin indicated before the start of the Tour de France that he aims at winning the Huy-stage. Not without reason, the Irishman finished second in last year's Flech Wallone.
*** Alejandro Valverde, Michal Kwiatkowki, Peter Sagan
** Daniel Martin, Greg Van Avermaet, Joaquim Rodríguez
* Simon Gerrans, John Degenkolb, Daniel Navarro
Tour de France 2015 stage 3: Route maps, videos, and more
Click the images to enlarge
Scheduled times 3rd stage##45
Profile intermediate sprint##30
Final kilometres 3rd stage##15
Details Mûr de Huy##0
Route and profile Mûr de Huy##45
Climb details 3rd stage##30
Streetview steilste stuk Mûr de Huy##15
