Tour de France 2016 Favourites stage 5: Climbing sprinters and punchy climbers

Stage 5 in the Tour de France is the first time the peloton faces serious hills. This is the terrain where the hilly specialists with a good uphill sprint are likely to shine. (Slideshow route/profile)

Probably, the GC guys will keep their powder dry. The three climbs that are being served are not longer than 5 kilometer and the last hill is not much: 3.3 kilometres at 5,9%, too short and not steep enough to make a difference. At the top a false flat down leads to a 300 metres climb at 6%.

In short, stage 5 in the 2016 Tour de France is perfect for a good climbing sprinter. Michael Matthews and his kind. To them it’s pivotal to survive the first two climbs, as both Pas de Peyrol and Col du Perthus are at times very steep. Both have grades in the double digits in the last kilometres. If men like Matthews and Sagan manage to stay aboard, they are in the right position to finish the job in the uphill sprint. Yet, there will be other contenders on the lookout, for instance strong puncheurs such as Alejandro Valverde.

Stage 2 was for punchers, too – albeit after a less grueling race. Sagan outpowered Alaphilippe and Valverde, so he is the man to beat.

Favourites 5th stage Tour de France 2016:

*** Peter Sagan, Alejandro Valverde, Julian Alaphilippe, Daniel Martin
** Edvald Boasson Hagen, Tony Gallopin, Greg van Avermaet, Simon Gerrans
* Alexis Vuillermoz, Jens Debusschere, Wout Poels, Michael Matthews