• 65km mountain stage is shortest in Tour’s modern era
• Top 20 in standings will start in line behind leader Thomas
There have been short stages in the Tour de France before but few as critical as Wednesday’s 65km mountain stage from Bagnères-de-Luchon to the top of the Col de Portet in the Hautes-Pyrenees. But why is this stage, the 17th in the 2018 Tour, so different to the usual Alpine and Pyrenean stages?
Related: Geraint Thomas predicts ‘massively decisive’ Tour stage against Froome
Written by Jeremy Whittle at Bagnères-de-Luchon
This news first appeared on https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2018/jul/24/tour-de-france-grid-start-17th-stage under the title “Grid start for very short and steep 17th stage on Tour de France”. Bolchha Nepal is not responsible or affiliated towards the opinion expressed in this news article.
