13:41
Do the favorites stumble?
As the saying goes: You can’t win the tour on stages like this, but you can lose it. In the interview before the start, Degenkolb took the same line: “In the end there will be many who will be happy when it’s over. They will be happy if they only lost a minute or two or don’t have to go home completely .”
1:35 p.m
Degenkolb’s private pavé and Paris-Roubaix
One of the most emblematic sections of the eleven cobblestone sectors is the path to the hamlet of Wandignies-Hamage, which has since been named after John Degenkolb. The German classic specialist had won the last cobblestone stage so far and is still considered one of the biggest favorites for the day’s success. Another cobblestone segment was taken from the classic Paris-Roubaix.
13:27
Hell of the North
The Tour de France has not been ridden on cobblestones since 2018. And even then, the sections on the dreaded pavés weren’t that long – on today’s stage it’s a total of 19.4 kilometers that the riders have to complete on the bumpy ground. It starts at kilometer 74.
13:20
Bon après midi!
The fifth stage of the Tour de France starts today in Lille. From Lille, today’s route follows the Belgian border to Arenberg. The 153.7 kilometer route is completely flat, but has pitfalls that have not been seen in the cycling classic for years.