Cycling: Three mountains of the highest category await us on tomorrow's stage of the Tour of France. Now the classification drivers can't wait any longer. In our Tour de France preview of stage XNUMX, we look at the day's favorites.
Tour de France preview: 3 x top category on stage #12
Alpe d'Huez is the destination of the Tour de France for the 30th time in its history. Although the mountain has a special reputation, the stage winner rarely appears on the podium wearing the yellow jersey in Paris. Nevertheless, all strong climbers naturally want to be entered in the list of winners tomorrow. Before going up the final climb, it applies to the 175,5 kilometers from Bourg-Saint-Maurice up to the Alpe d'Huez ski station a few more obstacles to overcome. The Col de la Madeleine and the Col de la Croix de Fer also belong to the top category. Due to the long descents and the subsequent rather flat passages, attacks by the favorites before the mountain up to Alpe d'Huez are rather unlikely according to our Tour de France preview. The today on the eleventh stage distanced drivers - such as Rafal Majka (Bora-hansgrohe) - could try an early escape.
The mountain classifications of the 12th stage of the Tour de France 2018
- 122,0km to go: Col de la Madeleine (highest category / 25,3 km at 6,2%)
- 92,5km to go: Montvernier Laces (2rd category / 3,4 km at 8,2%)
- 54,5km to go: Iron Cross Pass (highest category / 29,0 km at 5,2%)
- Mountain arrival/finish: Alpe d'Huez (highest category / 13,8 km at 8,1%)
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Velomotion forecast: Sky determines events with Thomas & Froome
With Team Sky dominating, every Tour de France preview appears in the mountains on a tip Chris Froome or Geraint Thomas to run out. But it is important to remember that tomorrow we will only be on the twelfth of 21 stages. The Tour of France is still long and has some obstacles in store. However, the victory in Alpe d'Huez is so prestigious that hardly any driver will back down. It is quite possible that the Sky team will be serious again tomorrow and this time Chris Froome will be ahead. Unlike for example Tom Dumoulin (Sunweb) suits him this mountain. Especially the steep section before the three kilometer mark will not benefit the Dutchman. For that you should Daniel Martin (UAE Team Emirates), Nairo Quintana (Movistar) and Romain Bardet (AG2R La Mondiale) are actually happy about the high gradient percentage. Either way, the stage victory only leads to Team Sky. If they want to catch up with the escapees, they have the best cards for victory in Froome and Thomas.
***Chris Froome
** Romain Bardet, Daniel Martin
* Geraint Thomas, Nairo Quintana, Tom Dumoulin
