Stage 12 Preview

By Paul Sherwen
July 15, 2009

Another flat 211km stage between Tonnerre and Vittel, although it is just a little more lumpy than stage 11 and will serve to tire the legs of everyone before Friday's very difficult stage into the heart of the Vosges mountains. There are six climb categories along the route taking the race to the edge of the Vosges.

As the sprinters have had their day for the last two flat stages, it may just smile on a breakaway to succeed. In which case we need to look to riders like Filippo Pozzato, Jens Voigt or maybe Juan Antonio Flecha to force a group clear.

However, if Team Columbia HTC decide that Mark Cavendish can win again then they probably still have the fire power to pull back the "echappe matinale" (early morning breakaway). If Mark Cavendish can get another win he will be the outright record holder for stage wins at the Tour de France for Great Britain, a record which he equaled today.