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Two cobbled sections cut from route of today’s Tour de France stageArenberg (copyright Simon MacMichael)

Two cobbled sections cut from route of today’s Tour de France stage

Weather causes changes to parcours on safety grounds
by Simon_MacMichael
Wed, Jul 09, 2014 11:22
4

Two of the nine cobbled sections due to have been used on Stage 5 of the Tour de France are reportedly being skipped today on safety grounds, with heavy rain expected to continue throughout the day in northern France.

The sections in question are number 7 at Mons-en-Pévèle (1 kilometre in length), and number 5 (1.4km), from Orchies to Beuvry-la-Forêt, according to a tweet from Laurent Bruwier of Belgian broadcaster RTBF. They’re not the most difficult on today’s route.

Today’s stage, which incorporates some of the cobbled sections used in Paris-Roubaix – there will now be seven sections totalling 13km – is one of the most eagerly anticipated of this year’s race by fans.

However it is also perhaps the most feared by many riders including the overall contenders due to the unpredictability of riding on the pavé and the threat of losing significant time due to punctures, crashes or mechanical issues.

In the case of defending champion Chris Froome of Team Sky, there is an added concern – he is carrying injuries including one to his wrist, which may have a fracture, after crashing early on yesterday’s Stage 4.

This picture, tweeted this morning by Alberto Contador, shows the type of conditions lying in wait for the peloton today.

trouée d’Arenberg
2014 Tour de France
Simon MacMichael

Simon joined road.cc as news editor in 2009 and is now the site’s community editor, acting as a link between the team producing the content and our readers. A law and languages graduate, published translator and former retail analyst, he has reported on issues as diverse as cycling-related court cases, anti-doping investigations, the latest developments in the bike industry and the sport’s biggest races. Now back in London full-time after 15 years living in Oxford and Cambridge, he loves cycling along the Thames but misses having his former riding buddy, Elodie the miniature schnauzer, in the basket in front of him.

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4 comments

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Suffolk Cycling | 10 years ago
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While it makes for a great spectacle, I'm amazed these sections exist as they add such a luck factor to the race outcome (or unlucky factor)

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Tom Amos | 10 years ago
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Whether he's broken it or not, if it's hurting enough to require an x ray to check, presumably he's suffered significant trauma to his wrist. I "broke" my wrist recently and the x rays were inconclusive. The doctors took two weeks to decide there was no fracture but couldn't be certain. What I can report back however is that it bloody well hurt for a while! I would personally be surprised if he continues in the race. I hope I'm wrong.

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dafyddp | 10 years ago
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Do rules allow bike en-route bike swapping (seem to remember this during last years time trials)? Must seriously be worth considering cyclocross or even one of these http://www.pinarello.com/en/bike2014/mtb/dogma-xm-9.9

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Colin Peyresourde replied to dafyddp | 10 years ago
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dafyddp wrote:

Do rules allow bike en-route bike swapping (seem to remember this during last years time trials)? Must seriously be worth considering cyclocross or even one of these http://www.pinarello.com/en/bike2014/mtb/dogma-xm-9.9

Can you change for a canoe?

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