All the stage information you need, including why it matters, which riders to watch, and who to root for.
Stage 9: Vannes to Plumelec, Sunday, July 12, 28km TTT
The Tour de France last included a team time trial (TTT) in 2013, a 25km stage in and around downtown Nice. This year’s TTT is much different. Basically a straight shot from Vannes northwest to Plumelec, the course offers few turns but includes several rolling hills before the final uphill drag to the finish.
Why It Matters
After Stage 1’s short, 14km race against the clock, there are no more individual time trials in the 2015 Tour de France, which makes this team time trial all the more important. Teams will need to measure their efforts carefully. If they go too hard too soon they will fade before the climb to the finish. Teams that fare well will give their riders a solid cushion heading into the Pyrenees. Teams that don’t will be forced to go on the attack to try and make up time.
Who to Watch
BMC is the current Team Time Trial World Champion and is the top favourite to win Stage 9 after winning a TTT of a similar length during June’s Criterium du Dauphiné. Led by former World Hour Record holder and Stage 1 winner Rohan Dennis, the team has a realistic chance of putting American Tejay van Garderen in yellow before the race enters the high mountains for the first time. Astana and Movistar will be hoping to regain at least some of the time they’ve lost throughout the first week. As for Team Sky’s Chris Froome, he is probably wishing Stage 9 were an individual time trial, as he would stand a far greater chance of gaining significant time over his rivals than he does riding with his team.
via Bicycling » Tour de France http://ift.tt/1HlBa0w
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