YPRES, Belgium (AP) – The Tour de France is heading into Belgium for the start of a critical, cobblestoned stage that has preoccupied racers and their teams for months.
Italy’s Vincenzo Nibali is wearing the leader’s yellow jersey for the 152.5-kilometer (94.5-mile) route that includes seven rough, cobblestoned sections toward the end.
Forecasters are also calling for steady rain during the race, which will test riders bike-handling skills like no other stage in this year’s Tour.
The stage was to have nine cobblestoned sections, but due to the wet conditions, race organizers scrapped two of them before the start.
Nibali has a two-second lead over a group that includes defending champion Chris Froome and two-time winner Alberto Contador.
Froome hurt his wrist in a crash Tuesday, which could prove painful on the bone-jarring cobblestones.