A sequence of four hills in rapid succession is going to make the stage finish in Boulogne-sur-Mer anything but ordinary. The final 16km appear to be ideal to create a setting for the aggressors of the race to take a chance with a strong and committed effort. Surely an ambitious initiative will yield some dividends but it will be hard for anyone to maintain the necessary speed to hold off all the peloton on their own. And so we should expect a small, strong group to arrive at the finish to contest the win of stage three. If this is the case, then we should consider Peter Sagan the favorite. He's already tasted success and has also mixed it up in a sprint of his first Tour de France. This could be a day when he takes advantage of the terrain and gets a jump on Mark Cavendish in the race for the green jersey.
Beyond the stage win there are prizes to be earned and Cadel Evans has not kept it secret that the dominant form of Bradley Wiggins makes him a daunting rival. The Australian recognizes that everywhere seconds can be gained, he has to take a chance. His hunt for bonuses could well begin on the approach to Boulogne.