Tour de France Stage 3:
Waregem, Belgium to Compiegne, France
236km of fast and flat
Start time: 11:45 a.m. (5:45 a.m. U.S. EST)
Estimated Finish: 5:10 p.m. (11:10 a.m. U.S. EST)

COURSE: The rumored inclusion of some Hell of the North pavé on this stage that heads south from Belgium to the French city of Compiègne, where Paris-Roubaix starts, was incorrect. But this longest stage of the Tour (236.5km) passes through many of the villages made famous by the April classic, including Fontaineau-Bois, the hometown of outgoing Tour race director Jean-Marie Leblanc. The finale passes the Napoleanic palace in Compiègne on cobblestones before hitting the 1km Avenue Royale in the south part of town

HISTORY: Remarkably, only one Tour stage has finished in Compiègne. This was in 1980, when stage 6 from Lille went to Frenchman Jean-Louis Gauthier, who broke clear from a five-man break to finish 39 seconds ahead of the peloton. Compiègne is famed for its Napoleonic palace, where Paris-Roubaix starts, and the signing of the Armistice that ended World War I.

FAVORITES:Breakaways are bound to form on this marathon stage, but expect the peloton to regroup before a mass finish in Compiègne because the sprinters will be eager to keep a grip on the yellow jersey. Boonen, Hushovd and McEwen will again be the favorites, but a rider like Bernhard Eisel (T-Mobile) might surprise them all with an early move on the tricky run-in.