Tour de France 2019 Favourites stage 5: For strong sprinters and brave attackers

La Grande Boucle serves a hilly race on the fifth day of action. Tough, but not as hard as the La Planche des Belles Filles stage on day six. (Slideshow route/profile)

Could be a day for a successful breakaway, although sprinters with climber’s legs – Sagan, Matthews, Trentin – will be spurred on to let their teams reel in the attackers. Two climbs – Côte des Trois-Épis (5 kilometres at 6.7%) and Côte des Cinq Châteaux (4,6 kilometre at 6.1%) – are served inside the last 40 kilometres, so pure sprinters won’t enter the picture. Coming off the last climb, the last 11 kilometres are played out on the flat.

Obviously, a late attack on one of those last two climbs is a viable option also.

Domestiques with the burden of tracking down the breakaway better not think of the scenario that unfolded in the 2014 Tour de France. Tony Martin and Alessandro De Marchi attacked early on a similar course in the Vosges Mountains. With 50 kilometres remaining Der Panzerwagen left his companion behind to solo to victory.

The Côte des Cinq Châteaux was also one of the climbs in 2014, although it was included in the first half of the race.

Favourites 5th stage 2019 Tour de France

*** Maximilian Schachmann, Greg Van Avermaet, Wout Van Aert
** Peter Sagan, Michael Matthews, Niki Terpstra, Jasper Stuyven
* Oliver Naesen, Alessandro de Marchi, Sonny Colbrelli, Caleb Ewan

Take a look at the route of the 5th stage on the Tour de France.