STAGE 19
This stage may have been designed to give sprinters an opportunity to shine near the end of the race; the question is, how many sprinters will be left by this point? The 2008 Tour is a bit light on pure sprinters--many of the sport's top speedsters arent even in the lineup due to injury or doping scandal--and by this point in the race, any big man not within striking distance of the green jersey may have abandoned during (or before) the Alps, perhaps to preserve himself for the Olympics.
As such, the competition for the green jersey in this years race may prove to be less predictable than that for the yellow jersey. The points competition is set up to reward consistency over the three-week race, but given the nature of the 2008 route, we may see a green jersey winner who, more than anything else, has been consistently aggressive in getting into breaks throughout the race. At the end of the day, a breakaway may not survive on this particular course, but how kind 2008 proves to be to the sprinters is yet to be seen.
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
bicycling.com/tourdefrance.
