Tour de France 2017 Favourites stage 19: Escapees or exhausted sprinters

Sprinters who have some juice left after three tough weeks in the saddle are offered an extra chance. Obviously, they will be eyeing up the farewell race to Paris, but if their teams are still up for it, the stage to Salon-de-Provence could come down to a bunch sprint, too. If not, attackers are ready to roll. (Slideshow route/profile)

At 222.5 kilometres, the 19th stage is the longest ride in the 2017 Tour de France. With the exception of the last 30 kilometres, the route features hardly any flat sectors, yet the climbs are doable. Without a doubt, this stage would have come down to a bunch sprint in the first week of the Tour de France – after almost three weeks in the saddle, that’s merely a possibility. Are there any sprint teams left to chase down the attackers? And the route might be doable, it is not flat at all.

Col de Lebraut and Côte de Bréziers are the KOM climbs in the first 50 kilometres before the course continues on rolling roads to Col de Pointu. This 5.8 kilometres climb at 4.1% is crested with 45 kilometres remaining. That final section to the line in Salon-de-Provence is flat or runs downhill, so in theory it’s perfect to chase the breakaway down.

Favourites 19th stage 2017 Tour de France

*** Tony Gallopin, Michael Matthews, Zdenek Stybar, Lilian Calmejane
** John Degenkolb, Edvald Boasson Hagen, Diego Ulissi, Stephen Cummings
* Ben Swift, Dylan Groenewegen, André Greipel, Alexander Kristoff, Sonny Colbrelli