Tour de France 2023 | A day before the attackers, has Mathieu van der Poel set his sights on this stage? | Tour de France

On today’s menu: three third category climbs and two second category climbs. With a length of 168.8 kilometers, the twelfth stage is not extremely long, but the altimeters will crawl into your legs today. It’s another day for the attackers. Right from the start the road rises and it doesn’t get flat for a moment. Just like two days ago, expect a fierce battle to be part of the right breakaway.

The final of the stage consists of three climbs. The Col de la Casse Froide (5.2 kilometers at 6.1 percent), Col de la Croix Montmain (5.5 kilometers at 6.1 percent) and finally the Col de la Croix Rosier (5.3 kilometers at 7 .6 percent). Strong attackers with climbing legs have an advantage on this course. The question is whether the leaders will interfere with the game image. Completely aware of what awaits them in the coming days.

When you think of attackers, you automatically think of Wout van Aert. Again this seems to be an ideal stage for the Belgian, who did not get further than ninth place in the bunch sprint on Wednesday and can give his Jumbo-Visma team the first stage victory. But there are more attacking hijackers on the coast. What about Matej Mohoric, Mattias Skjelmose or Julian Alaphilippe? All attackers who probably circled the twelfth stage in red in their agenda.

And what can Mathieu van der Poel do? On Wednesday, the Dutchman with a cold kept aloof and did not start the sprint for Jasper Philipsen. According to manager Christoph Roodhooft, Van der Poel is on the mend. Has he recovered in time to strike on Thursday? We will know between 5.21 and 5.46 pm.

• Ride type: hill ride
• Distance: 168.8 kilometers
• Start: 1.20 pm in Roanne
• Finish: between 5:21 PM and 5:46 PM in Belleville-en-Beaujolais

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