Tour de France 2014 Stage 12 will be held on Thursday. Tony Gallopin of the Lotto-Belisol was the victor in Stage 11, while Vincenzo Nibali remains the holder of the yellow jersey.
The second week of this year's Tour de France will see contestants tested to the hilt as more hilly territory lies ahead of them. Stage 12 will see the riders cover a distance of 185.5 kilometres between the towns Bourg-en-Bresse and Saint Etienne.
In Stage 12, they move slightly away from the Alps and will head toward the elevated terrain of Massif Central in the south-central regions of France.
This stage bears a similarity to the previous one as the initial parts of the race will see flat territory come the way of the contestants. The riders will encounter an intermediate sprint early on. After this sprint, riders have to contend with hilly territory. First up is a couple of hills, namely the Col de Breuilly and the Cote de Saule Dingt. In addition to the hills, numerous turns will be on view here.
Before the ending stage of the race is an easier part, reported CyclingQuotes. It is from where the ascent toward the Col de Brosses commences. This climb is said to be not particularly steep. From here, contestants embark on a downward trail as they ride to the bottom of the Cote de Grammond. This ride bears closeness to the Col de Brosses one.
Thereafter, they embark on a short upward stretch again. From here on, a descent leading to the ending 8.5 kilometres begins. It's flat territory from then on. 1500 metres before the finishing line, one last turn for Stage 11 is on view. After this a bend to the right will appear, thereafter another toward the left and then a straight finish.
Many of the stages in this year's edition have been rain-affected. In Stage 12, sunny weather has been predicted.
Gallopin will be looking to put a smile on French faces once again with another triumph. He will want the yellow jersey to come his way again as well. Meanwhile, overall leader Nibali will hope to strengthen his position.
Peter Sagan, the green jersey holder, appeared pretty frustrated on Wednesday at not being able to record a stage victory yet. He reckoned with more support he could have been on the podium.
"I want to win a stage, but it's not easy when everyone is riding against you. No one wants to work with me, because they know if they come with me I will beat them in the sprint. I can't chase everyone,"The Guardian quoted Sagan. Sagan will want to set aside his frustrations and register his first win of Tour de France 2014.
Where to Watch Live:
Ten Sports Day 12
7-45 PM To 9-15 PM (IST) Thursday
France
Online Links
Ten Sports Day 12 HERE
