De old town of Fougères is located on a loop of the Nançon river, offering it natural protection. It is as enchanting as an old town could be. Fougères lies on the edge of Brittany, Maine and Normandy.
It’s only three editions ago that the Tour de France visited the town. In the 7th stage Mark Cavendish outsprinted André Greipel and Peter Sagan in Fougères. The last departure was in 2013 when the 12th stage went to Tours, where Marcel Kittel powered to glory.
Stage 7 of the 2018 Tour de France is played out on rolling terrain. The riders pass through the Parc Naturel Régional Normandie-Maine, while the route goes in a straight line to the east, moving through Mayenne, Alençon and Nogent to arrive in Chartres. The Côte de Buisson de Perseigne, which is crested halfway, is the only KOM – 1.6 kilometres at 4.2%. So it is a perfect parcours for fast finishers.
A tight right-hand turn 1.9 kilometres before the line leads to a 700 metres drop, while the finale is rounded out by a 600 metres kick-up at 4% before the last 200 metres are on the flat.
Chartres, a town with one of the best preserved Gothic cathedrals in Europe, hosted the Tour de France twice. In 2012, Bradley Wiggins was in a class of his own winning the ITT to Chartres ahead of his lieutenant Chris Froome, while Stuart O’Grady won a stage in Chartres in the 2004 Tour de France.
Who’s next? Most likely a sprinter.
The first three riders on the line take time bonuses of 10, 6 and 4 seconds, while the first intermediate sprint (at kilometre 168) is for green jersey points and the second (at kilometre 200) for time bonuses of 3, 2 and 1 seconds.
Read also: results/race report 7th stage 2018 Tour de France.
Tour de France 2018 stage 7: Route maps, height profiles, and more
Click on the images to zoom
Profile 1st intermediate sprint
Details 1st intermediate sprint
Profile 2nd intermediate sprint
Details 2nd intermediate sprint
Very nice
Where in Chartres is the actual finish line?
Finish is on Avenue Jean Mermoz, just after Rue d’Ablis.
Hi,
we don’t know the exact details yet about the finish line.
We will receive them later.