chasm54

203km, pan-flat for the first 170. Key to the stage will be whether the sprinters can stay in touch over the two lumps near the finish. Look for Cavendish to bust a gut to hang in there, opportunities for stage wins are few are far between.

Darkglasses

Looks quite possible that the finish will be moved, Eurosport pictures show it's basically a river right now.

chasm54

As predicted, Cavendish absolutely eyeballs-out to hang onto the peloton over the top of the climb. He's a good descender, he could get back on.

chasm54

...or not. Close, but no cigar.

canam73

That was one long effin' dig for a sprinter.

Darkglasses

Poor Cav. He's probably in the top couple of hundred climbers in the world, but every now and then it costs him big time.

YMCA

Positioning and a little luck always helpful in last couple k.
JD is picking up where he left off at Vuelta (5 stage wins)

Kind of Blued

I wonder if Sagan can somehow figure out how to add stages like these to his palmares without even being in the country.

DrakeSuperbus

I like watching cav climb because he always looks like how I feel when I'm on a climb. He was practically wrestling his bike up that road.

Ken Brown

Yes, I like seeing a professional weaving across the road, because I do that too. Just before I get off and push.

Cavendish finished 6:27 down, so he was not close to catching the peloton.

YMCA

Actually, he and his teammates got close but then realized it was fruitless, so they sat up and pedaled in easy.
No reason to push to the line, if there isn't reason.

Creakyknees

the Rai cameras spent some time watching Cav's group as they all sat on Cav then took turns attacking... sometimes it sucks to be Cav