Would you get your elbows out? The stage is set at 221.5km.  Just over 13 kilometres of that is pavé or cobbles plus a few category 4 and 3 climbs. There is no room for the tentative here. It’s attack, attack, attack. Keeping yourself on the crown of the cobbles for one of the cleanest lines at the highest speed you can maintain. Using the hips to steer to keep the bike in flow as moving the front wheel into a dip or verge may just tip you off.

Ooh those cobbles, really take it out of the riders. Elbows do get wider when other riders are around. Everyone wants to get the best line to stay upright and reduce the juddering through the wheels. Here Nibali (spot the pink boots) and Cavendish go elbow to elbow as they try to position themselves for points. Both stayed upright in the Tour de France 2015 Stage 4.

Oil painting 50 x100 x 1.5 cm. This painting continues on the canvas wrapped round the shallow stretchers.
Framed 53 x 103 x  2 cm. Professionally hand-made white-limed wood case frame. Ready to hang.