Sprinters, you better take your turn!

June 6 ^th 2023 - 03:41

The spectators in Chambon-sur-Lac on Sunday and then in La Chaise-Dieu yesterday undoutbly witnessed some very high-flying sprints. However, the victories of Christophe Laporte and Julian Alaphilippe did not come from a confrontation with the fastest and most powerful go-getters in the world of cycling. On both occasions, the challenges that preceded the home straight put the experts out of contention, whether they were dropped or asphyxiated even before they launched the final battle. This time, there does not seem to be any major obstacle on the road to Le Coteau to try and counter the plans of pure sprinters: the 3% slope of the Côte du Pinay, even over more than 7 kilometres, should not frighten them, and all the less so since the summit is almost 20 kilometres from the finish. This is therefore the moment for Dylan Groenewegen, Sam Bennett or Ethan Vernon to summon their strength and their teammates' to prepare for a high-speed tumble down the aptly named Avenue de la Libération. As they are well aware this should be their only chance to win this week, they shall do everything possible to control the attackers of the day. The example of Rune Herregodts, who resisted the peloton until the last ten meters of the race before being swallowed up last Sunday, certainly served as a warning to them. But there will be only one winner anyway.