The race got its first minor dose of rain on Thursday and another dropout — Germany’s Marcel Kittel, who had endured gastric troubles for the past few days, pulled out to reduce the field to 194 riders.
The sixth stage — a 207.5km jaunt from Epernay in Champagne country to Metz, France — offers the last leg in the northern flats this week that favor the sprinters, before a steep uphill finish today.
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