Nevers, France – Drops of rain fell at the start of the Tour de France’s 11th stage from Vichy to Nevers, bringing a much-needed but brief respite for the riders.
After 10 days of racing in temperatures that never dropped below 30 degrees Celsius and often edged above 40 C, the riders’ bodies are more tired than they would usually be at this stage of the race.
And they still have not started the energy-sapping high mountain stages of the third week.
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