One chance for sprinters before the Alps

Stage 16 is the only one – time trial excluded – contested in only one French province, the Gard that pro cyclists know pretty well for having resumed some seasons with the Etoile de Bessèges stage race that nowadays comes to a conclusion in Alès, located at half way into today’s race but without passing the famous côte de l’Hermitage. No other stage this year – time trials excluded – has fewer categorized climbs, only one (the cat. 4 côte de Saint-Jean-du-Pin, km 96). Therefore, a bunch sprint is quite likely in Nîmes where the race will kick nearby the Arenas where Alexander Kristoff was the last Tour de France stage winner in the city known for its rich Roman heritage in 2014. In the meantime, the 2017 La Vuelta held its Grand Départ in Nîmes. Only 12 riders out of 176 starters in Brussels have abandoned so far. Most of the sprinters have survived the Pyrenees and remain in contention, divided in two categories, those who have already won (Elia Viviani, Peter Sagan, Dylan Groenewegen, Caleb Ewan) and those who are yet to grab a success and might desperate for it: Kristoff, Michael Matthews, Sonny Colbrelli, André Greipel, Niccolo Bonifazio…