Hell will finally decide between them! – Cycling

[ENV_PRISER] Before the first stage of rest (at the edge of Lake Annecy) and the first alpine stage (Tuesday), Tour 2018 will (finally) release some truths, this Sunday afternoon, between the citadel of Arras and velodrome of Roubaix. Expected with a certain excitement since the Grand Départ of Vendée, the step of paving stones is a real turning point. Down the masks!

This time, it's a certainty, they can not hide anymore. With the notable difference of Wednesday, on the road of Quimper, and of Thursday, towards Mûr-of-Brittany, the candidates for the final victory are in the obligation to discover, this Sunday, in the north of the country. One way or another, promised, they will do it. This 9th stage, played between Arras and Roubaix, is in fact a kind of condensed Paris-Roubaix, in other words, a "mini" queen of clbadics.

A first for almost 40 years

The program of the festivities, if we dare to use the term: fifteen sectors (including those of Mons-en-Pévèle, Camphin-en-Pévèle and Hem who bloom so good the month of April) in the last 110 kilometers and not less than 21.7 km of paved roads. For the record, the stage during which the "maestro" Vincenzo Nibali forged his final victory in the 2014 Tour developed "only" 13 kilometers of cobblestones. It has never been proposed as much as this Sunday on the Great Loop since the early 80s and, to be honest, we will not complain. If we have to go through it to make a first selection … "It was very good to have Mûr-de-Bretagne on the course of the first week. Unfortunately, the weather can change the face of a race from black to black, tried to justify Greg Van Avermaet when the question on the apathy of favorites was asked in a press conference. Clearly, according to the words of the Yellow Jersey, it was too hot and too hot in Britain to launch great offensives … Van Avermaet may be tempted to do so on his favorite field unless the winner of Paris- Roubaix 2016 is finally forced to stay with Richie Porte, its leader at BMC.

Bardet and the washing machine

All those who aspire a result on the Champs-Elysees, in two weeks pile, actually play very very big, this Sunday, on the "road" of Roubaix (the arrival will be judged in two steps from the pink track). "I'm not afraid of cobblestones, but we inevitably apprehend them because we can lose everything on this stage", thus summarized Romain Bardet. "All you need is a gap in front of you, a fall. It can be blocked and it can get complicated very quickly, "continued Auvergnat AG2R La Mondiale who, despite his inexperience places, expects a lot of this day in the Northern Hell. "I hope to create gaps, I can not wait to be there even though I know it's going to be a big washing machine. I did not come on the Tour to take blows every day, I also want to give it, "he also confided, referring to his mechanical incident that occurred before the foot of Mûr-de-Bretagne. On the summit of Central Britain, Chris Froome had, meanwhile, conceded a few seconds; the boss of the Sky, like the others, will have to tame paved portions (21.7 km, let's remember!) which are not, a priori, the British cup of tea. The Irish Dan Martin, he has already disappointed: the winner of "Mûr" dropped fifteen kilometers from Amiens and dropped 1'16 '' on the line. His back will "sting" up there.