The 15th stage arrives in the furnace of the South of France, Sunday, on a route of 202.5 kilometers between Rodez and Carcassonne dedicated to sprinters.
Four departments of Occitania (Aveyron, Tarn, Haute-Garonne, Aude) are visited in this stage which passes through the site of Ambialet, where the Tarn describes an astonishing loop (Km 64), and the medieval village of Lautrec (Km 105.6) capital of pink garlic before the intermediate sprint near Lake Saint-Ferréol (Km 147).
A final straight of 200 meters
“We made sure that this day smiled on the sprinters, recognizes race director Thierry Gouvenou. The Montagne Noire is bypassed to avoid passes. The final, rather on a downhill false flat, was drawn to have side winds in the last ten kilometers. »
The candidates for the succession of Mark Cavendish, victorious last year for the 34th time in the Tour, will have a final straight line of 200 meters to explain themselves, between the Canal du Midi and the famous medieval city.
Carcassonne (48,000 inhabitants) is hosting the Tour for the twelfth time, on the eve of the last day of rest.