2014 Tour de France Stage 6 Live Coverage
Welcome to our live coverage of Stage 6 of the 2014 Tour de France! Our live profile and commentary are below, followed by a preview of the technical aspects of the route.
Course Preview
After a brief foray onto Belgian cobbles, the sprinters return to the fore, for possibly the final time before the mountains.
However, this stage holds a special meaning outside of the racing alone. A century since the outbreak of World War 1, the race will be passing through the Somme along the Chemin des Dames, where the Second Battle of Aisne took place in 1917, as the race visits a number of key battle grounds.
The second half of this 194-kilometre stage is a lumpy affair, which could reward the brave. You can be certain that the sprinters’ teams will want this to come down to a bunch gallop in Reims. However, the small climbs and the twisting roads may help a small group of riders get away.
Anyone intending on making the most of the day will have to factor in the wind. Much of this stage passes through wide expanses\nof countryside, giving the potential for crosswinds.
Teams such as Belkin and Omega Pharma-Quick Step will favour these conditions and they used their experience to maximum reward in last year’s race. Along with Saxo-Tinkoff, they were able to distance the main contenders on stage 13. Mark Cavendish was the victor on that day.
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