Possible chance for sprinters in Tour stage to Carcassonne
The fifteenth stage of the Tour de France is on paper one for the sprinters. On the way from Rodez to Carcassonne, they have to pass two cols of the third category without losing too much energy. In the last 50 kilometers it goes mostly downhill, but there is a chance of crosswinds that can break the peloton into pieces. The finish in the largest fortified city in Europe is expected around a quarter to six.
In last year’s Tour, Briton Mark Cavendish recorded his fourth stage victory in Carcassonne. In total, it was his 34th win in a Tour stage that puts him on a par with Belgian cycling legend Eddy Merckx. Cavendish is missing this year. His team Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl is aiming for the sprinting qualities of Fabio Jakobsen, the Dutchman who has already won a stage this Tour.
The stage starts at 13:05. In Rodez, Jumbo-Visma’s Dane Jonas Vingegaard will start again in the yellow jersey. The other jerseys are worn by the Belgian Wout van Aert (green), the German Simon Geschke (bulbs) and the Slovenian Tadej Pogacar (white).