It has been repeated countless times since the route of the Tour de France 101st edition was announced, that its fifth stage containing 15.4 kilometers of cobbles will be one of most crucial in terms of the general classification. Thus, it comes as no surprise that the most serious of Tour contenders are traveling to France in order to study infamous pave stretches and after Alberto Contador (Tinkoff-Saxo) did his reconnaissance on Monday, Tejay van Garderen (BMC) and Vincenzo Nibali (Astana) are next in line to hit the roads tackled by classics specialists last weekend.

Even though it is hardly imaginable for the lean climbers and all-rounders targeting the Tour to negotiate the Paris-Roubaix pave sectors in the similar pace as the classics specialists did last weekend, leading teams will still be eager to use any of bad luck of their main opponents, happening often enough on cobbles, to ride away and open up first significant time gaps.

Thus, the fifth stage from Ypres to Arenberg, alongside hectic British Grand Depart and the long time trial on a penultimate day, is considered the one of those where the race could be lost.

Following the reconnaissance that Contador, supported by Tinkoff-Saxo classics unit, did on Monday, BMC and Astana Tour de France leaders are expected to travel to France tomorrow to get familiarized with all the difficulties the fifth stage is expected to provide.

Last year’s Tour de France campaign was a complete disaster for BMC and van Garderen’s performance was no exception, but this season a raise of the American team is observed and they certainly aim to bounce back in the French grand tour with the 25-year old rider as their leader.

The young American shined in the mountainous stage races from the very beginning of the season, as he finished second behind Froome (Team Sky) at the Tour of Oman and won the Volta a Catalunya queen stage.

Van Gerderen will ride nine pave sectors from Carrefour de l’Abre to the infamous Arenberg, joined by team-mates Peter Velits, Peter Stetina, Dominik Nerz, Amael Moinard, Michael Schär and Greg Van Avermaet.

Just like the BMC captain, Nibali is expected to visit France tomorrow, frying directly from the Astana training camp held in Tenerife. According to Gazzetta dello Sport, the Giro d’Italia champion will be joined by Jakob Fuglsang, Lieuwe Westra, Tanel Kangert and Andriy Grivko for his pave reconnaissance.