MILLAR SAYS

If you ever get to ride in this area then some words of advice: slap on plenty of suntan lotion. It gets hotter, drier and windier the closer you get to Rodez and the whole day will be a slog with the terrain and the temperatures. On the graphic it looks a gradual uphill stage but that hides the up-down, in-and-outof-corners nature of the roads in this region. One thing for sure, only someone strong and relatively fresh will take the honours at the line.