First summit finish offers GC riders a chance to test their legs. – Joe Lindsey
The Stage 4 sprinting-crashing-disqualification polemics will take a backseat to the overall classification on Stage 5, which offers the earliest true summit finish for a Tour de France in years (2008 saw a summit finish on Stage 6).
The race goes into the hilly Vosges region with a 160.5km stage from Vittel to la Planche des Belles Filles, a relatively new climb that’s been used in the race just twice: in 2012 and 2014. Both years, it’s come in the first half of the race and been a key predictor of overall victory. In 2014, Vincenzo Nibali, already in yellow, won the stage and expanded his lead. In 2012, it was Chris Froome who took the win in his big coming-out party as a potential Tour contender, as teammate Bradley Wiggins went into the overall lead. In both instances, the yellow jersey holder went on to win the race.
The Planche des Belles Filles climb isn’t long but it’s a brute, rising over 1,000 metres in 5.9km and with a stretch of 20 per cent grade right at the top. But even with sunny skies and light winds, just getting there will be taxing: it’s a lumpy stage on small roads and the last 60km include a short, sharp climb (the Cote d’Esmouliers at 55km to go) and several uncategorised ascents that will be hard nonetheless.
Look for Sky to try to control the stage as is their habit—not so much for current yellow jersey holder Geraint Thomas as for Chris Froome, although don’t be surprised to see Thomas hold on to the race lead for now. Other GC contenders will certainly put in some testing attacks, as we saw on Stage 3 from BMC’s Richie Porte. After losing surprising amounts of time to Froome in the opening time trial, the three-time champion’s challengers will be keen to start to get it back.
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