Tour de France 2016: Stage 11 Route, Distance, Live Stream and TV Schedule

Stage 11 presents the sprinters at the 2016 Tour de France with one of their last opportunities to claim a stage win ahead of Thursday's treacherous Mont Ventoux ascent and the eventual climb into the Alps. 

The 162.5km run from Carcassonne to Montpellier includes two early categorised climbs but is almost entirely flat.

The likes of Dimension Data's Mark Cavendish, Etixx Quick-Step's Marcel Kittel, Lotto Soudal's Andre Greipel, Direct Energie's Bryan Coquard and Tinkoff's Peter Sagan—currently wearing the green jersey—will undoubtedly be in the mix come a predictable sprint finish. 

The general classification contenders will sit tight, look to avoid any trouble and prepare for the daunting, but exciting, prospect of Mont Ventoux on Stage 12.

Date: Wednesday, July 10

Start Time: 12:50 p.m. BST, 7:50 a.m ET

Route: Carcassonne—Montpellier 

Stage Profile: Flat

Live Stream: ITV Hub (UK), NBC Sports App (U.S.)

TV Info: ITV 4 (UK), NBC Sports Gold (U.S.)

Stage 11 Preview

Cyclingnewstv provided a round-up of Stage 10—dominated, but not won, by Sagan—the current GC and points standings and a brief preview of Stage 11:

As noted by Cyclingnewstv, Wednesday is very much a day of transition.

It is one of the last flat days remaining in this year's Tour—Stage 14 and the final run into Paris are the only other two—and thus the sprinters will relish the opportunity.

Cavendish has three stage wins already under his belt in 2016's race and will fancy his chances of claiming a fourth on Wednesday.

Per Cycling blog The Inner Ring, the British rider won an almost identical stage during 2011's Tour.

Kittel and Sagan have won a stage each so far and will be looking to add another in Montpellier, while the Slovak can all-but wrap up a fifth-consecutive green jersey win by triumphing on Wednesday.

Per SBS' Anthony Tan, if anyone other than Sagan is going to finish in green come Paris then Stage 11 is a "must-win."

Greipel will be desperate to pick up a victory having come very close on the opening stage and Stage 3, per Sky Sports News HQ:

The German has not looked at his absolute best so far in 2016 but, like Cavendish, has happy memories of Montpellier having triumphed in the city in 2013.

Chris Froome is currently in the yellow jersey and Team Sky will look to protect him as they use Wednesday to simply move a step closer to Mont Ventoux—where the Briton won in 2013 on his way to a maiden Tour victory.

For the GC riders—Movistar's Nairo Quintana, Froome's main rival, currently sits just 23 seconds back—Stage 11 should be a day to conserve the legs and stay out of trouble.

That could be easier said than done, though, as crosswinds could cause some major problems, per three-time Tour de France green jersey winner Robbie McEwen:

Thus there could be more excitement than expected on a relatively tame run to Montpellier, but a bunch sprint is still likely at the finish, and there are vital points up for grabs.