Tour de France 2019 Route stage 16: Nîmes

Tour de France 2019 Route stage 16: Nîmes – Nîmes

Tuesday, 23 July 2019 - The 16th stage of the Tour de France is played out after the second rest day. The flat race of 177 kilometres is an out-and-back leg in Nîmes. (Slideshow route/profile)

The iconic viaduct Pont du Gard features in the finale. Chances are that the breakaway will be swallowed up by then, since the route is tailor made for sprinters. It is far from flat, but the rolling landscape should not worry fast men.

Five years ago it was a close call in Nîmes. Jack Bauer and Martin Elmiger attacked at kilometre 5 and rode 220 kilometres ahead of the peloton only to be reeled in in the last metres. Alexander Kristoff won the bunch sprint and succeeded Mark Cavendish, who was the fastest finisher in Nîmes in 2008.

Nîmes is famous for the Roman monuments, such as the Arena of Nîmes and Maison Carrée, possibly the best preserved Roman temple in the world.

The Big Start of the 2017 Vuelta a España was in Nîmes. The TTT moved through the Arena and BMC took the win ahead of Quick-Step Floors and Team Sunweb.

Time bonuses of 10, 6 and 4 seconds are awarded to the first three riders on the line in the 16th stage of the 2019 Tour de France.