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Spa
192 km
Monday 5 July
The first part of the stage will be flat before a more hilly final stretch. The race will follow a portion of the route taken by the Ardennes Classics and notably the Rosier hill climb, which will be tackled in the opposite direction to that of Liège-Bastogne-Liège. The final difficulty will be located twelve kilometres from the stage finish. Punchers will have the chance to break free from a mass sprint.
• 11 times a stage town
• Population: 154,000
• Région Bruxelles-Capitale: 1,000,000
• Capital of Belgium
• Capital of the European Union
In 1958 André Darrigade added another stage win to his collection, 22 in total, and seized the Yellow Jersey. The stage start from Brussels in 1947 was also the first stage run entirely outside French borders, as the finish line was in Luxembourg. It was won by Italian rider Aldo Ronconi, who finished 4th in that year’s race. Among riders from Brussels, Philippe Thys marked the history of the Tour. The race will moreover celebrate the 90th anniversary of his triple win of 1920, the first in cycling history.
• Once a stage town
• Population: 10,600
• Town in the Province of Liège (Belgium)
A Mecca in the world of thermal spas – the word “spa” is named after the town itself - Spa is on excellent terms with the Tour. In 1962, Rudi Altig triumphed in his first stage victory here and became the first post-War German rider to wear the Yellow Jersey. In 1980, it was on the circuit of Francorchamps that Bernard Hinault won in an individual time-trial after triumphing in the prologue. The Badger, as Hinault was called, seemed poised for a great race, after winning again the following day in Lille, but a knee injury forced him to abandon in the Pyrenees.
