Stage 3: Rotterdam to Rotterdam (6.3 km)
Date: Tuesday, August 13, 2024
Streaming: 🇬🇧 🇪🇺 Discovery+/Eurosport; 🇺🇸 Peacock; 🇦🇺 SBS; 🇨🇦 FloBikes
Stage start: 15:10 CET
Estimated finish time: 17:50 CET
Stage type: ITT
Summary: An extremely short and fast chance for the riders to test themselves against the clock and each other in an uncomfortable position.
The third stage takes place in the afternoon after the second stage. Yep, it’s a double day. It’s not something we see all that often, or ever, in WorldTour racing. we’ll get to see the women race twice in one day at this year’s Tour.
The time trial this year is very short at 6.3 km, and will likely take the top riders less than 10 minutes to complete. The only two bits of elevation gain on the course are when the riders pass over two bridges, back and forth on the river Nieuwe Mass.
While normally this would be a stage for the track riders of the peloton, there will be very few of those at the Tour this year, with the Olympic track events wrapping up only a few days before the Grand Depart. So it will be one for the most aero, and likely not impact the general classification drastically. GC riders will want to go all out for the effort, but it’s only seconds they are fighting for, hopefully.
My pick: Chloe Dygert, off her team pursuit gold medal and in her rainbow jersey, is now back on the road for Canyon-SRAM. This stage is made for her.
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