Stage 5: Épernay - Montargis

July 8 2010

Épernay - Montargis

Distance: 187.5 km 

For the sprinters
This route is somewhat unusual since we will be going through Provins, which became a UNESCO world heritage site in December 2001.

We will be visiting Montereau and Nemours before finishing in Montargis. There are no major difficulties during this stage which seems to be best suited to the sprinters.

Yet this will all depend on who leads the Tour at that moment in time. Armstrong will be seeking to eliminate the largest number of rivals possible as early as he can, whilst biding his time to grab the Yellow Jersey.

However, if he leads the general standings in Arenberg, he will probably let a breakaway go all the way in one of the three following stages to avoid having to bear the weight of the race on his shoulders. This is what happened in 2004, when Voeckler took advantage of such an “opportunity” in Chartres.

Source: letour.fr