Course: This is another long stage (216.5km), which starts in Luxembourg,passes through Belgium and finishes in the Netherlands. The first halfof the course is mainly on straight, wide highways, while the second half,from where it joins the Liège-Bastogne-Liège classic routeat Vielsalm (107km), is mostly on winding, often narrow, back roads. Withsix climbs in the last 90km — starting with L-B-L’s Haute-Levéeand ending with the Amstel Gold Race’s Cauberg 2km from the finish — thepeloton is almost certain to be split by attacks.

History: An almost identical finish to a stage came in 1992,the only other time the Tour came to Valkenburg, when Frenchman GillesDelion took the win from Irishman Stephen Roche in a four-man break a minuteahead of the pack. The finish is along a flat ridge road, 2km beyond thesummit finish currently used at the Amstel Gold Race classic.

Stage 3: Esch-sur-Alzette to Valkenburg - 216.5km

Favorites: A mass sprint finish is highly unlikely, but sprinters like Hushovd, O’Grady and, especially Freire (in the land of his team sponsor) could be in at the kill, along with classics powerhouses Schleck and Danilo Di Luca (Liquigas). Also look for a GC contender, perhaps Alejandro Valverde (Caisse d’Épargne), to be at the front on the Cauberg and go for the stage win.