Cycling: The mountains of the Tour de France are behind us. Two flat stages and a time trial are still waiting. Tomorrow we should see a mass sprint on the longest stage of this year's Tour de France. But who will win in Salon-de-Provence in the absence of many top sprinters?
Sprint Royal without many top sprinters?
On today's 18st stage was the last difficult test at this year's Tour de France. After the Col d'Izoard has been completed, there are now only three comparatively easy sections to be completed. It continues tomorrow with a slightly bumpy stage, which under normal circumstances should end with a mass sprint. It runs 222,5 kilometers from Embrun in a southwesterly direction to Salon-de-Provence. This makes it the longest stage of the 2017 Tour de France. On the way there are three climbs in the third category to be mastered. The last mountain prize is the Col du Pointu (5,8 km at 4,1%). This climb is climbed with 45 kilometers to go, so it shouldn't have much of an impact on the outcome of the stage. The sprinters who are still in the field should have no problems following the pace and in the end fighting for victory among themselves.
Our tip: this time Edvald Boasson Hagen is ahead
Breakaways are not completely without a chance tomorrow. Due to the absence of Marcel Kittel (Quick-Step Floors), Mark Cavendish (Dimension Data), Arnaud Démare (FDJ) and Peter Sagan (Bora-hansgrohe), some sprinters who are still in the peloton will sense their big chance tomorrow. Therefore, there will probably be some teams chasing after the escaped runaways. We therefore expect a mass sprint. Among the favorites are undoubtedly Michael Matthews (Sunweb), André Greipel (Lotto Soudal), Nacer Bouhanni (Cofidis), Alexander Kristoff (Katusha-Alpecin), John Degenkolb (Trek-Segafredo) and Edvald Boasson Hagen (Dimension Data). With Dylan Groenewegen (LottoNL-Jumbo) or Sonny Colbrelli (Bahrain Merida) but there could also be a surprise. We bet on Edvald Boasson Hagen. The Norwegian has been narrowly beaten several times this year and is now easily up for grabs with a stage win. He should also be one of those drivers who have coped with the mountains best.
*** Edvald Boasson Hagen
** Michael Matthews, André Greipel
* Alexander Kristoff, Nacer Bouhanni, John Degenkolb
Tour de France preview: Those were the Velomotion predictions
| Stage | Route | stage winner | Velomotion tip | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st stage | Düsseldorf | Geraint Thomas (Sky) | Tony Martin (Katusha Alpecin) | |
| 2st stage | Dusseldorf – Liège | Marcel Kittel (Quick-Step Floors) | Marcel Kittel (Quick-Step Floors) | |
| 3st stage | Verviers-Longwy | Peter Sagan (Bora-hansgrohe) | Peter Sagan (Bora-hansgrohe) | |
| 4st stage | Mondorf-les-Bains-Vittel | Arnaud Demare (FDJ) | Arnaud Demare (FDJ) | |
| 5st stage | Vittel-La Planche des Belles Filles | Fabio Aru (Astana) | Fabio Aru (Astana) | |
| 6st stage | Vesoul-Troyes | Marcel Kittel (Quick-Step Floors) | Marcel Kittel (Quick-Step Floors) | |
| 7st stage | Troyes - Nuits Saint Georges | Marcel Kittel (Quick-Step Floors) | Marcel Kittel (Quick-Step Floors) | |
| 8st stage | Dole - Station des Rousses | Lilian Calmejane (Direct Energy) | Diego Ulissi (UAE) | |
| 9st stage | Nantua-Chambery | Rigoberto Uran (Cannondale-Drapac) | Chris FroomeSky | |
| 10st stage | Perigueux-Bergerac | Marcel Kittel (Quick-Step Floors) | Marcel Kittel (Quick-Step Floors) | |
| 11st stage | Eymet-Pau | Marcel Kittel (Quick-Step Floors) | Marcel Kittel (Quick-Step Floors) | |
| 12st stage | Pau-Peyragudes | Romain Bardet (Ag2r) | Guillaume Martin (Wanty Groupe Gobert) | |
| 13st stage | Saint Girons - Foix | Warren Barguil (Sunweb) | Simon Yates (Orica Scott) | |
| 14st stage | Blagnac-Rodez | Michael Matthews (Sunweb) | Daniel Martin (Quick Step Floors) | |
| 15st stage | Laissac-Sévérac l'Église - Le Puy-en-Velay | Bauke Mollema (Trek Segafredo) | Tiesj Benoot (Lotto Soudal) | |
| 16st stage | Le Puy-en-Velay – Romans-sur-Isere | Michael Matthews (Sunweb) | Marcel Kittel (Quick-Step Floors) | |
| 17st stage | La Mure - Serre Chevalier | Primoz Roglic (LottoNL-Jumbo) | Simon Yates (Orica Scott) | |
| 18st stage | Briançon-Izoard | Warren Barguil (Sunweb) | Chris FroomeSky | |
| 19st stage | Embrun-Salon de Provence | Edvald Boasson Hagen (Dimension Data) | Edvald Boasson Hagen (Dimension Data) | |
| 20st stage | Marseille | Maciej Bodnar (Bora-hansgrohe) | Chris FroomeSky | |
21st stage | Montgeron – Paris/Champs-Elysées | André Greipel (Lotto Soudal) |
The current overall ranking of the 2017 Tour de France after 18 of 21 stages
| PLATZ | Driver | Country | Team | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Chris Froome | Great Britain | Sky | 78:08:19 |
| 2. | Romain Bardet | France | Ag2r | + 0: 23 |
| 3. | Rigoberto Urán | Colombia | Cannondale Drapac | + 0: 29 |
| 4. | Mikel Landa | Spain | Sky | + 1: 36 |
| 5. | Fabio Arau | Italy | Astana | + 1: 55 |
| 6. | Daniel Martin | Ireland | Quick Step Floors | + 2: 56 |
| 7. | Simon yates | Great Britain | Orica Scott | + 4: 46 |
| 8. | louis meintjes | South Africa | UAE | + 6: 52 |
| 9. | Warren Barguil | France | Sunweb | + 8: 22 |
| 10. | Alberto counter | Spain | Trek-Segafredo | + 8: 34 |