Stage Details

Stage 7 - Saturday, July 13: Bagnoles-de-l'Orne - Avranches

Distance:	176km
Start Location:	Beside lake in Bagnoles-de-l'Orne
Start Time:	Flying Start 1:02 p.m. on D335, Bagnoles-de-l'Orne exit
Description:	Course: The highest point on this 176km stage through Normandy from Bagnoles-de-l’Orne is only 1200 feet (366 meters) above sea level, but that climb to Mont Pinçon is just one of the day’s some 20 significant hills. And with the course running adjacent to the Atlantic Ocean for the last 60km, there are likely to be strong winds waiting to split the pack into echelons. The roads are good, and mostly straight, and the finish in Avranches comes after a 300-foot climb in the last 2km. History: A tough 80km team time trial from Dinard was the only Tour stage to finish at Avranches. That was in 1993, and Tour rookie Lance Armstrong led his Motorola team to a fine third-place finish behind winners GB-MG of Italy and ONCE of Spain. Favorites: With the likely winds off the ocean and the mostly straight roads, expect a big group to emerge in the final hour to swamp any breakaways and produce a wild uphill sprint finish. It’s the sort of finish that will suit Zabel, unless the Lotto team can move McEwen into position to make a late challenge.