Previewing Stage 11 of the Tour de France 2025: A Chance for the Speedsters to Shine
Tour de France 2023: Stage 11 Preview
The 11th stage of the 2023 Tour de France promises an exciting sprint finish, as the race travels from Évaux-les-Bains to Le Lioran. This 211-kilometer route is characterized by a challenging finish, with a technical sprint that will test the riders' positioning and sprinting abilities.
Notable sprinters to watch for in this stage include Jonathan Milan (Lidl-Trek), who won stage 8 and leads the green-jersey points classification, and Tim Merlier (Soudal-QuickStep), who has already claimed victories in stage 3 and stage 9.
The stage will feature a loop around the city, culminating in a finish in the city centre. The closing kilometres will be demanding, with short climbs and a steep final incline that could cause splits in the peloton. The steepest part of the closing kilometres reaches around 12.4% on some sections.
One of the key climbs in this stage is Côte de Corronsac, a category 4 climb that appears at kilometer 117. Other category 4 climbs include Côte de Castelnau-d'Estrétefonds (km 25.9), Côte de Montgiscard (km 111.6), and Côte de Vieille-Toulouse (km 142.5). Côte de Pech David, a category 3 climb, appears at kilometer 148 and is the last of the short climbs, measuring 0.8km long with an average gradient of 12.4%.
Positioning will be crucial in the run-in for those looking to contest the victory. The finale will be fairly technical, with a roundabout and a sweeping left turn before the final straight to the line. This stage could be a final opportunity for sprinters before the Tour de France heads into the Pyrenees.
The Tour de France will have its first rest day on July 15. The race will resume for stage 11 on July 16.
For those interested in watching the Tour de France from anywhere, NordVPN currently offers a mega-deal for readers of Cyclingnews. In various regions, the stage can be watched on different broadcasters: in Australia, stage 11 can be watched on SBS/SBS On Demand, starting at 21:15 AEST; in Canada, stage 11 can be watched on Flobikes, starting at 07:00 ET; in the US, stage 11 can be watched on NBC/Peacock, starting at 06:30 ET; in the UK, stage 11 can be watched on ITV4/ITVX or TNT Sports/Discovery, starting at 14:00 BST.
References: [1] Cyclingnews. (2023). Tour de France 2023 stage 11: Winner, highlights, results, analysis. Retrieved from https://www.cyclingnews.com/races/tour-de-france/2023/stage-11/ [3] Cyclingnews. (2023). Tour de France 2023 stage 11 preview: Route, contenders, key points. Retrieved from https://www.cyclingnews.com/races/tour-de-france/2023/stage-11-preview/
Spectators can expect an exciting finish in the 11th stage of the 2023 Tour de France due to the technical sprint nature, which could be won by skilled sprinters like Jonathan Milan or Tim Merlier. Despite the challenging finale with short climbs and a steep final incline, the stage might present a final opportunity for sprinters before the race moves towards the Pyrenees.
