This is the penultimate stage before the rest day, and one of the few left in the Tour which is perfectly setup for a bunch sprint.
That means the power riders will want to take advantage of their chance here on a lumpy but manageable 181km from Dreux to Amiens which skirts around Paris.
As ever, Peter Sagan and Fernando Gaviria will be amongst those in the hunt for the stage win, while Dylan Groenewegen’s impressive victory in Amiens on Friday puts him back among the favourites.
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However this is a technical finish on a slight decline with a corner 600m from the finish which will thin out the contenders, and the result may well hinge on whether the likes of Sagan can get on the right rival’s wheel.
For the general classification riders like Chris Froome, Richie Porte and the rest, they will be desperate to get through this one unscathed and with as little exertion as possible – the treacherous cobbles to Roubaix await on stage nine.
