The first important stage race of the year (and its random weather conditions) shall start on Sunday the 8th in France, one day before Tirreno-Adriatico.
This year, the course completely avoids the Massif Central, but pays a brief visit into Morvan.
Despite the avoidance of the Massif Central, looking at profiles, there seems to be only 1 stage guaranteed for pure sprinters (the 2nd). The first one may smile upon sprinters-punchers, but even the stage going down the Rhône valley ends with climbs for punchers or punchers-climbers.
We may keep an eye on (among others):
- Vingegaard🇩🇰 from Visma, for his first race since his withdrawal from the European Championship last year;
Almeida🇵🇹 from UAE, a little bit sluggish so far;- Ayuso🇪🇸
& Skjelmose🇩🇰from Lidl-Trek; - Onley🇬🇧 & Vauquelin🇫🇷 from Ineos;
- Gaudu🇫🇷 & Costiou🇫🇷 from FDJ, if you are French and masochist, or if they raise the level they showed lately;
- L. Martinez🇫🇷 from Barhein.
Stages profiles
stage 1 (Sunday the 8th): 
stage 2: 
stage 3 (Team Time Trial): 
stage 4: 
stage 5: 
stage 6: 
stage 7: 
stage 8 (Sunday the 15th): 
Stage 6
It could very well have happened today, with Cofidis and then Lidl-Trek doing the meat of the work, then Bahrein and L. Martinez🇫🇷 attacking, if Vingegaard🇩🇰 (who followed him easily) had wished to counter-attack. The only Visma contribution would have been Campenaerts🇧🇪 pulling after Lidl-trek stopped.
Fun fact: fat-ass Plowright (🇦🇺 Alpecin) won 3 places in GC today, he is now 14th!
Tejada (🇨🇴 Astana) enters top-10, strangely not thanks to his 2 stage podiums in a row, but due to Onley🇬🇧’s withdrawal.