This is definitely a stage for the sprinters, so whichever ones made it through yesterday's "pave" will have a shot at victory in Reims. Which, by the way, is the capital of the Champagne region. Which, by the way, is famous for... CHAMPAGNE! Click for more stage background

This stage finishes in Reims, the capital of the Champagne region. You can ask your parents what that area is famous for!

Start Time: 12:00 p.m. Central European Time.

Stage Type: Road Race. Explain

Riders start simultaneously with the winner being the first at the end of the course. Members of teams together to work to give advantage to their fastest riders or to their rider best placed in the overall standings.

Stage Distance: 154 KM or 95.7 miles. How far is that?

154 km is the same as 95 miles, or 120 football fields. Not even Brett Favre can throw a pass that long!

Estimated Length of Time:4:00 How long is that?

Today's stage will take only about four hours for the riders to complete. That's on the shorter side for a TDF road stage. Only two Toy Story movies can be viewed in that time!

Terrain: flat.

Number of Climbs: One Cat 4 climb. What does "cat" mean?

"Cat" is short for "category." The climbs are rated according to how long and hard they are. They are ranked Category 1-4, with 4 being the "easiest" (I'm not sure they're so easy!) and 1 being the "hardest." But wait- there's even a harder one! Climbs that are rated "Hors Categorie" (above category) are longer and steeper than a Category 1. That sounds HARD!

Estimated Calories: 2500 How much would you have to eat?

Stage 4 is going to be short, flat, and FAST! No mountains today, so not too many calories burned. A couple boxes of Mac and Cheese should do the trick.

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Are you hungry?

By Mari Holden at Velo Betty

It's really important for the cyclists to eat and drink while they are on the bike. In a race like the Tour de France the riders can barely keep up with replacing the amount of calories that they burn. So, they have to make sure that they eat while they are riding. Normally they will carry some small bars and gels in their jersey pockets. But, they can go back to their team cars in the caravan to get more food and bottles. There are guys on the team who are designated to help the other riders, and they will make many trips to the car. Their job is really important because they are helping the other riders on the team. There are also areas called "feed zones" where each team has people waiting by the side of the road to hand their riders bottles. They normally hand the bottles to their riders in "musettes which are like cloth purses for food and bottle. That way each rider can get a couple bottles and some food all in one bag. The cyclists have to eat so much every day that they actually get tired of eating and have to work hard to get their calories. So, sometimes the teams add some of the riders favorites in their musette bags... Things like small sandwiches, and cookies are favorites...

 

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