STAGE 10
TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 8
Île d’Oléron › Île de Ré
168.5KM
The bleak and imposing sea fortress of Fort Boyard, built as a naval defence in and was brought back within an hour, by dint of teams riding hard to keep out of trouble. And there were attempts to split the bunch. But the main challenges came in the crashes that beset the unwary. In a bunch sprint, won his first ever Tour stage. Afterwards, riders and teams complained about the dangerous route. But they might take note of the later history of Fort Boyard, which after almost falling into ruin, found use as the location for a reality TV show in the 1990s and beyond, a reminder that the currency of the 21st century is entertainment value. The TV show offers physical and endurance challenges for entertainment. Not much different, some riders might reflect, to the Tour itself.
