Stage Seven: Belfort to Chalon-sur-Saône - Coin Flip

A flat stage, and the longest.

Offredo and Rossetto form an early breakaway.

Offredo: Do you ever feel as though ....

Rossetto: ...we're in a play? Yes.

Offredo: Like in Shakespeare?

Rossetto: Exactly. And every entrance is an exit somewhere else.

Offredo: Wait. That's not how it goes.

Rossetto: Want to bet on it?

Offredo: Okay. A coin flip. You call heads or tails.

He produces a coin from the depths of his drinks flap.

......

Sprocket is riding behind Caleb Ewan, who is one of today's favourites.

He draws alongside.

Hey, says Caleb Ewan. Cool bike you've got there.

Yeah, says Sprocket. I modified it. It belonged to a legend.

Yeah who? asks Caleb Ewan.

Schopenhauer, says Sprocket. See this saddle?

What about it? asks Caleb.

Tells me things, says Sprocket.

My saddle tells me things too, says Caleb.

The wrong things, says Sprocket. Sometimes.

Like what? asks Caleb.

Life is suffering, says Sprocket. Negative stuff. I try and rise above it.

Me too, says Caleb.

He speeds up.

Sweezus catches up to Sprocket.

What did Ewan say? asks Sweezus.

Life is suffering, says Sprocket,

Yeah, says Sweezus. One of the Four Noble Truths.

Is it? says Sprocket.

Yeah, says Sweezus. Did you hear about Mouldy?

No, what? asks Sprocket.

Terence reckons Mouldy always knows who'll be the winner.

No kidding, says Sprocket. That's kind of not useful information.

True, says Sweezus. If you knew it wasn't you, you might stop trying.

And that would affect the outcome, says Sprocket. I get it. So, who is?

You really want me to tell you? asks Sweezus.

No, says Sprocket.

.....

Thirteen k from the finish.

Offredo and Rossetto are still flipping

Offredo has won ninety two times.

Offredo: I'm just as surprised as you are.

Rossetto: Let's see that coin.

They fumble, and at 12 k from the finish are finally caught and passed by the sprinters.

Who are they?

Dylan Groenewegen, Caleb Ewan, Peter Sagan.

One of whom Mouldy predicted to be the stage winner.

They do not yet know who it is.

(Clue: in the fore-mentioned order).