Stage 18: Salies-de-Béarn - Bordeaux

Date: July 23, 2010

Stage 18: Salies-de-Béarn - Bordeaux

Distance: 198km

The team classification to the fore

Normally, the struggle for the final hierarchy on Le Tour should be over by the summit of the Tourmalet pass. The finish in Bordeaux should witness a sprint. This stage is often capital to the team classification, so all the teams will be taking it seriously.

People sometimes wonder why a team sets out to catch a breakaway. They often do it because there are riders from other teams in the leading group. If two riders from one team are ten minutes ahead of the pack, then this adds up to twenty minutes in the general team classification.

The Caisse d’Epargne team is particularly proficient at carrying out this sort of operation.

Source: letour.fr