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Reims
150 km
Wednesday 7 July
A short 150 kilometre route will take us from the capital of the famous mint-flavoured sweets, known as “bêtises”, to the capital of champagne. There will be no major hurdles on this slightly undulating stage which should honour sprinters in a bubbly finish. Nevertheless, beware of possible breaks in the pack towards the end of the stage in a plain buffeted by the wind.
• Once a stage town
• Population: 33,500
• Sub-prefecture of Nord (59)
Cambrai will be a stage town on the Tour de France for the second time. In 2004, the northern city hosted the start of a sixty kilometre long team time-trial that finished in Arras. The US Postal team dominated proceedings and Lance Armstrong seized the Yellow Jersey, donned by Australian rider Robbie McEwen the day before.
• 10 times a stage town
• Population: 191,300
• Sub-prefecture of Marne (51)
Ten times already in the past the Tour has had occasion to celebrate with champagne here in the land of champagne production. Celebrations were almost every time in honour of a sprinter. The most recent winner was Robbie McEwen, in 2002, and this was merely the second of the Australian’s twelve stage victories. Prior to this, Cyrille Guimard, Francis Castaing and Djamolidine Abdoujaparov also triumphed in Reims.
