STAGE 7
The 99-mile push to Aurillac on the seventh day of the Tour is another wildcard stage. Eager breakaway riders could catch the peloton sleeping today and balloon their advantage to over 10 minutes on a winding route through the Massif Central. Some sprinters may slow down on the 4.9-mile, category 2 climb up Pur Mary; others may be motivated to power over and organize their teams on the backside of the climb for the final stretch into Aurillac.
If the sprinters dont organize, a breakaway will likely succeed on this stage and ultimate victory on the day will come down to race tactics in the final miles. Without much help from the peloton, the team in yellow will be forced to manage the time gap to the break, and if that team is not up to task, a new race leader may have a hearty cushion heading into the Pyrenees. Whether that rider can hold on to the jersey is an entirely different matter. A team like Garmin-Chipotle (formerly the Slipstream squad) which lacks a true overall threat, may see an opportunity here to nab the yellow jersey for a few days.
MORE TOUR de FRANCE MAPS
Stage 1 |
Stage 2 |
Stage 3 |
Stage 4 |
Stage 5 |
Stage 6 |
Stage 7 |
Stage 8 |
Stage 9 |
Stage 10 |
Stage 11 |
Stage 12 |
Stage 13 |
Stage 14 |
Stage 15 |
Stage 16 |
Stage 17 |
Stage 18 |
Stage 19 |
Stage 20 |
Stage 21
Google Earth Flyover: 2008 Tour de France
See more race coverage at
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