The sixth stage of the 2017 Tour de France is a long 217kms from Vesoul to Troyes over lumpy territory. There are two categorized climbs, sandwiching the intermediate sprint at 135kms in Colombey-Les-Deux-Eglises. Both of the climbs are cat-4’s: At 69kms, the Cote de Langres (1.3kms; 6.3%) and at 154kms, the Cote de la Colline Sainte-Germaine (3.1kms; 4.4%).
The riders may even be able to catch a glimpse of the Charles de Gaulle Memorial near the intermediate sprint as this is the region he called home. He, however, also described the region as being visually under- stimulating, so those hoping for the gorgeous sweeping landscape views of the Tour may be a bit underwhelmed.
Hopefully, however, the race itself will provide plenty of excitement. In the center of Troyes, the riders will see large roads that should make it easy for the sprint trains to take control, lining up their respective fast men for victory. Who will go for green now that pre-race favorite Sagan is no longer in the Tour?