Valence Terre de Sprinters
It is the fourth time in eleven editions that the Tour has arrived in the Drôme prefecture. André Greipel won there in 2015, Peter Sagan in 2018 and Mark Cavendish in 2021. Each time after a massive sprint.
Un match Milan-Merlier ?
In a 112nd edition marked by many damaged stages, the arrival in Valence after 160 km of efforts offers the possibility of a new duel between the Italian Jonathan Milan, winner in Laval and wearer of the green jersey, and the Belgian Tim Merlier, winner in Dunkirk and Châteauroux. Other sprinters could still come to mix with the battle, such as Biniam Girmay, Phil Bauhaus, Wout Van Aert, Kaden Groves, Jordi Meeus or Arnaud de Lie.
Watch out for the weather
However, a factor could disturb the expected scenario. Storms are planned with gusts of wind up to 50 km/h conducive to creating edges at the end of the day. If they were to be confirmed, they could come to sow chaos in a very proven peloton….
The opinion of “South West” ‘
*** Merlier
** Milan, Bauhaus
* Groves, Meeus, Girmay
