Tour warm-up intensifies

LA ROUTE D’OCCITANIE 10-13 June | France | 2.1

Just 13 days separate the end of La Route d’Occitanie and the start of the Tour de France this year, in one of the last chances for riders to get some extra kilometres in their legs before the Brittany grand départ. Formerly known as the Route du Sud, the French stage race is just four days long, but has tempted a number of Tour GC favourites over recent years. Nairo Quintana is a two-time winner and Alberto Contador won in 2015, while Egan Bernal is the defending champion.

Typically the Southern French race mixes rolling, hilly stages with at least one mountain summit finish, where the GC is ultimately settled. Although it dates back to 1977, until 1985 it was held during the spring, in March and April. Despite its closeness to the Tour since, no rider who has won here has ever gone on to win the yellow jersey - probably in part due to clashing with the Dauphiné and Suisse. The closest anyone has come in recent years is Quintana, who won Occitanie in 2016 and finished third in the Tour.