The top podium spot for Stage 12 will be a toss-up between the powerhouse sprinters and the ambitious (or lucky) breakaway riders. The route is fairly flat, but two sets of categorized climbs (near the beginning and end of the day) could make it tricky for team managers to reel in the breakaway. As such, this could be a stage where the dreams of breakaway riders are made (or crushed) in the final kilometer. With a few tricky circuit turns before the final straightaway, this finish is also inviting for riders who fancy their chances on last-minute counter attacks from the peloton.  Saxo Bank’s Fabian Cancellara has pulled off this trick before and Cervelo’s dark-horse Olympian Hayden Roulston is also capable of a high-speed, high-distance effort. Otherwise, big money is still on Cavendish if it comes down to a field sprint.

Note: Stage route, exact start/finish, and sprints/climbs have been approximated from information provided by LeTour.com. Actual stage may vary slightly.

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