Everything you need to know about the race and its side effects with the twentieth stage, a time trial between Lacapelle-Marival and Rocamadour which could smile on Tadej Pogacar.
Special envoy to Cahors
Profile of the stage: Lacapelle-Marival-Rocamadour (40.7 km)
At first glance, the course is not extremely difficult, but it will be cut out for a time trial specialist. The stage is rolling, the route quite winding and technical. We will lose 150 meters of altitude between the start and the finish. The final in the majestic setting of Rocamadour, a city clinging to the cliff, will hold some surprises because two bumps await the runners, the coast of Magès (1.6 km at 4.7%) but especially that of Hospitalet (1 .5km at 8%), in stride. A difficulty that risks kicking in the legs after three weeks of effort.
Schedules:
The first runner will start at 1:05 p.m. and the last, Jonas Vingegaard, will start at 5:00 p.m.
TV broadcast:
France 3 from 12.55 p.m. then France 2 at 3 p.m.
The prognosis of… Bernard Thévenet (double winner of the Tour de France 1975 and 1977)
“I’m divided. I can see Pogacar being in the game because he will want to finish this Tour de France strong with a last stage victory. He deserves to win it because he gave us a great show for three weeks. I also see Wout Van Aert holding out on him, but I would still bet on Filippo Ganna (Ineos), fourth in the opening time in Denmark and double time trial world champion.
Not to be missed on the course:
Lovers of castles will be served in Lacapelle-Merival with the one that was the residence of the great Cardaillac family for four centuries. The Porte de l’Arbol (gate of the old enclosure of the castle flanked by a tower) is worth a look. Charming medieval city with intact fortifications, Rocamadour is a tourist attraction in its own right. But the village is not the only showcase of the Dordogne valley. About fifteen minutes further, the Gouffre de Padirac welcomes thousands of tourists every year in its impressive natural cavity, nestled up to 103 meters from the depth. At the bottom of the abyss, a long river of clear water welcomes tourists, guided by a boatman along perfectly preserved underground galleries. A jump in time (the abyss was discovered in 1899) intoxicating and refreshing.
The specialty to get your teeth into:
It’s hard to pass up the free-range Quercy lamb and Quercy truffles to flavor the dishes. For dessert, let yourself be tempted by the pescajoune, a crêpe stuffed with fruit. To be digested with a walnut liqueur. In Rocamadour, a stop at a cheese dairy to taste the cheese of the same name as this stopover city on the Way to Santiago de Compostela, is a must before stopping at a delicatessen to stock up on walnut oil.
The expression of the day: “Put on the goatee”
Nothing to do with a stylistic fantasy of letting a beard grow. We put on the goatee only when we impose ourselves with a gut on the finish line in front of an opponent.
Ex : “He put his goatee in the sprint! Less than two centimeters to win!
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