road.cc Fantasy Cycling: Tour de France stage 16 preview

Into the final week of the race, and the 2011 Tour heads into the Alps. It’s more or less steady climbing all the way through to the day’s only categorised climb, the Col de Manse, before the race sweeps down into Gap, 20 times a stage host town.

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Thought for the Day

Today’s climb isn’t the biggest in the Alps, and with the GC having taken shape in the Pyrenees, the overall contenders are likely to keep a watchful eye on one another today, making it a stage where an attack is likely to get away and stay away.

GT’s tips

It's after a rest day, which affects people in different ways. You can clog up a little bit, get back on the bike the next day and feel a bit lethargic, take a bit more water than usual. So I think a few guys will be suffering there, it will probably be a tough start with a breakaway likely, a day for an opportunist.

To find out more about Geraint Thomas visit his website www.geraintthomas.com