In the third stage, a sprint is not out of the question, but the puncheurs will certainly have plenty to enjoy. Right from the start in Brioude, the road heads uphill with the Côte de Cornille (4.1 km at 4.8%) and Côte de la Barbate (5.8 km at 6.9%). You can count on a strong breakaway forming—no weak riders will be getting away in this tough opening phase.

In the middle section, the Côte de Malataverne (5.4 km at 3.9%) and the Col du Tracol (2.9 km at 4.2%) are also on the menu. From there, the race heads toward the final climb of the day: the short but punchy Côte du Château Jaune (1.2 km at 9.2%). This steep kicker lies just over twenty kilometers from the finish in Charantonnay and will help answer the question: after more than 200 kilometers, will we get a sprint or not?