The Tour de France continues its musical chairs as it enters the third week, with riders and teams desperate for a seat. This week's stage in the Dauphiné region is a transition stage, but it's far from humdrum. The race comes alive as big names make moves, and the top-10 positions are up for grabs. The stage features a 185km route with 3,900m of climbing, including a 11.4km climb at 5.4%, a first category climb that could be a carrot for early moves. The finish is a ski station summit finish, a gradual and even one, all on a wide road. The contenders include Tadej Pogačar, who seeks to correct his record from 2020, and Richard Carapaz, Valentin Paret-Peintre, Tobias Halland Johannessen, and Einer Rubio, who are tipped for the next three stages. Sep Kuss and Matteo Jorgenson are new names in the breakaway, while Tom Pidcock keeps making the breakaway and could pose a problem for both the GC contenders and the breakaway. The stage promises to be a thrilling contest, with the points competition heating up and the breakaway riders vying for a stage win. The weather is sunny with a light breeze, and the finish is forecast for 5:15 pm CEST.
