Tour de France Stage 16 preview, predictions, odds and free tips

ITV4, Eurosport 1 & S4C, 12.30pm Tuesday

As the riders hit the road again following the second rest day it should be a day when hostilities among the general classification riders take a hiatus in the countryside around Nimes, where the stage begins and ends.

The temperature is likely to climb to the high 30s in this part of southern France – that should also be the case for the rest of the week – and that may well have an effect on some riders as the race nears the Alps.

Interestingly, one rider who may not want to see the thermo­meter climb is man-of-the-moment Thibaut Pinot, who in the past has struggled in the heat.

The profile of Stage 16 is tailor-made for an early break to establish and it's possible, depend­ing on the size and composition, that it could stay away.

Some may recall Jack Bauer's brave effort in 2014 when, after being away for 222km, he was overhauled just 50 metres from the finish line in Nimes.

The winner of the bunch sprint that day was Alexander Kristoff, and the Norwegian is a tempting bet to emulate that success.

The UAE Emirates rider hasn't been as consistent as many of the sprinters but he came close to taking stage-four honours when just pipped by Elia Viviani.

• Stage 15 report

This stage's profile is not too dissimilar, and although there isn't a categorised climb in the closing stages, there is a kick-up around 15km from home and that may not suit some of the real speedsters.

Also, many of the sprinters will have suffered in the Pyrenees and it often pays to back a rider who is proven in sprints after mountain stages.

As well as winning in 2014, Kristoff has made the top three on comparable stage three times in the past four years. He also won the final stage in Paris last year. Such form makes him a solid each-way candidate at the prices.

Anyone considering possible breakaway winners may look to riders from teams who have yet to win a stage.

Nils Politt (Team Katusha), Oliver Naesen (AG2R) and Edvard Boasson-Hagen (Dimension Data) are three of many who could chance their arm, but as no break­away has been successful on this type of stage since 2012 it's probably sensible to support a sprinter.

Recommendation
A Kristoff
1pt each-way 16-1 general
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