Stage 5: Lille Métropole to Arenberg Porte du Hainaut
Date: July 6, 2022
Distance: 153.7km
Stage timing: 13:35 – 17:15 CEST
Stage type: Hilly
This year’s Tour de France has so far seen only early skirmishes in the battle for overall victory but that will change dramatically on Wednesday as the cobbles of Paris-Roubaix offer a chance for the bravest and strongest in the peloton to distance their rivals and eliminate them as a threat.
Everything that has been hidden in the last few days, and only subtly indicated in the opening Copenhagen time trial, will be laid bare on Wednesday afternoon on the dry and dusty cobbled lanes of northern France.
It has been a number of years since we’ve seen the cobbles centre-stage at the Tour de France and some feverently believe that the pavé has no place in a modern Tour de France. However, race director Thierry Gouvenou disagrees and explained why to Cyclingnews.
“Last time there weren’t so many gaps, so that’s why I’m hoping for a few more this year. That’s why I put in some longer sectors,” Gouvenou said. “The accumulation of long sectors can provoke splits, and I hope we’ll have the first true time gaps of the Tour at Arenberg on Wednesday.”
The warm and dry conditions expected for Northern France on Wednesday mean we are likely to see a race like 2018, when John Degenkolb blasted toward an emotional victory. There will be no mud fest and disaster, as in 2014, when the cobbles were wet and Vincenzo Nibali gained enough time to set-up overall victory.
Regardless, we can still be sure that there will again be crashes, time gaps and drama.
The details of the cobbled sectors
Just like at Paris-Roubaix, the 11 sectors of pavé count down as they near the finish, each with a star rating of between two and four. There is a total of 19.4km of the stuff, all coming in the second half of the 157km stage, with Gouvenou cruelly placing the worst and longest sectors to do the most damage.
The first sector comes after 80km and is a taster of what is to come. The cobbles then come far more frequently as racing approaches the 100km mark, with five sectors spread across the next 20km. They are all around 1500m in length, all enough to line out the peloton and cause disaster for someone. There will be no way back from a puncture or crash.
Things then get really serious 30km from the…
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