Stage 16, from Gruissan to Nîmes will be a 188.6km transition stage following the second rest day. The sprinters may be heavily tipped for success when the race heads away from the coast near Narbonne, and maybe even when the riders pass over the Pic Saint-Loup. But the Mistral can blow fiercely at this time of year and could well upset the plans of the sprinters if those teams that feel at home when it’s windy end up scattering the peloton.
Nîmes has established itself as one of the Tour’s favourite stopping points in the south and as a testing ground for sprinters, the victors here include Mark Cavendish (2008), Alexander Kristoff (2014) and Caleb Ewan (2019). However, breakaway riders have sometimes upset predictions, such as Aïtor González in 2004 and Nils Politt on the last visit in 2021.
Stage 16 Sprints
- Intermediate sprint, km 96.1
Stage 16 Mountains
- Côte de Fambetou (1.2km at 5%), cat. 4, km 112.6
