This started as a low pressure trough up in the Ohio River valley that drifted south and entered the Gulf of Mexico at Apalachee Bay near St Marks, Florida.

The center is at 30.0N 84.7W with wind speeds of 25mph and a pressure of 1011mb. The general motion is south at about 5mph. Conditions are conducive for further development.

Reims > Nancy

Distance: 213.5 kilometers.

This entire stage is in France and it is classified as “flat”. The riders spend 121 kilometers on fairly flat terrain before the cat 4 Côte de Rosières (1 km 7% grade). More flat to 147 km and the intermediate sprint at Lérouville. You continue on to 198.5 km and the cat 4 Côte de Maron (3.2 km 5% grade). Expect a bunch sprint at the finish.

A fine example of teamwork at the end when Julian Alaphilippe of DQT took the lead setting up fellow team member Elia Viviani to take the stage. Viviani is the team sprinter and had the energy to win while Alaphilippe wasn’t sure of himself. The process in sprinting is to have other team members “break trail” and pull the lead sprinter in their draft so he can conserve energy for the finish. Drafting works the same in bicycling as it does in NASCAR.

Julian Alaphilippe ( Fra – DQT – 021 ) [Yellow] 14h 41′ 39″
Peter Sagan ( Svk – BOH – 011 ) [Green] 104 points
Tim Wellens ( Bel – LTS – 168 ) [Polka Dot] 7 points
Wout Van Aert ( Bel – TJV – 088 ) [White] 2

Stage winner: Elia Viviani ( Ita – DQT – 028 )
Combative: Michael Schär ( Swi – CCC – 117 ) [Red numbers]
Team: Team Jumbo – Visma ( TJV – 081-088 ) [Yellow numbers]

Top Ten:
1 Julian Alaphilippe ( Fra – DQT – 021 ) –
2 Wout Van Aert ( Bel – TJV – 088 ) + 00h 00′ 20″
3 Steven Kruijswijk ( Ned – TJV – 081 ) + 00h 00′ 25″
4 George Bennett ( NZl – TJV – 082 ) + 00h 00′ 25″
5 Michael Matthews ( Aus – SUN – 141 ) + 00h 00′ 40″
6 Egan Bernal ( Col – INS – 002 ) + 00h 00′ 40″
7 Geraint Thomas ( GBr – INS – 001 ) + 00h 00′ 45″
8 Enric Mas ( Spa – DQT – 025 ) + 00h 00′ 46″
9 Greg Van Avermaet ( Bel – CCC – 111 ) + 00h 00′ 51″
10 Michael Woods ( Can – EF1 – 098 ) + 00h 00′ 51″

The Rest of the Top 30:
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