Nevers, France ¨C 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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