Tour de France 2016 Route stage 14: Montélimar

Tour de France 2016 Route stage 14: Montélimar – Villars les Dombes

Saturday, July 16, 2016 – Stage 14 may be 208.5 kilometres, but after the tough ordeals in last two days it will feel like a walk in the park. Leaving Montélimar the riders head for Villars-les-Dombes on a route that's marked 'sprinter's approved'. But it remains to be seen if the fast men will really go for it...

Arrival place Villars-les-Dombes is new in the Tour de France, but the Critérium du Dauphiné visited twice in recent years. Tony Martin won an individual time trial in 2013, while Nacer Bouhanni sprinted to victory in 2015.

With only three 4nd category climbs the profile of the stage Montélimar-Villars les Dombes has written ‘sprinters’ all over it. Yet, we are in the second week of racing and it remains to be seen how the fast men digested the Pyrenees and Mont Ventoux on the day before yesterday. If they are too exhausted, or if one sprinter was by far the best in week 1, we can expect them to strike a truce along with the GC men. This will delight a troupe of happy ‘baroudeurs’ who can then battle for day victory in the 2016 Tour de France.

Complicating factor might be they face a head wind at 4 Beaufort during the most of the day.

The first three riders on the line take time bonuses at 10, 6 and 4 seconds.

Results/race report 14th stage, 2016 Tour de France.

The riders are expected to finish at around 5:10 pm – local time. See also the scheduled times.