A hilly stage.
Several riders think they could win it.
Mads Pedersen is one
Jasper Philipsen is one.
Mark Cavendish is another.
Hasn't he given up yet?
We'll see.
Team Philosophe is riding together in the midst of the peloton.
They pass lovely chateaux without even noticing.
They are busy discussing the carottes that Belle has placed in their food bags.
Look at this! says David. A black one!
Yes, a varieté ancienne.
Belle has got up early and visited the farmers market, on Place Abel Surchamp, and bought a bunch of long thin multi-coloured carottes.
Red, white, orange, yellow, purple and black.
David has got a black one.
There's something unappetising about a black carotte, says David.
Don't stare at it, bite it, says Vello.
David is about to when Ranger Roger rides up.
Hi guys, says Ranger Roger.
Good to see you making an effort, says Vello.
I had to go back for drinks, says Ranger Roger. What's that? A black carrot?
It is, says David. Tastes surprisingly good, if you don't look at it.
Ranger Roger sees that Gaius has a long thin purple one, which he has bitten into.
What's it like? asks Ranger Roger.
Gaius offers him a bite, but Ranger Roger declines.
After all they are not in the same team.
He speeds off to catch up with Sweezus and Arthur, his team mates.
They have just passed Marcel and Terence, who have given them feed bags.
They have both pulled out carottes.
Sweezus has a white one.
Arthur has a yellow one.
Carrots! says Ranger Roger. Team Philosope's got the same. David has a black one.
What's Belle thinking? wonders Sweezus.
Maybe she's thinking like, poetry.... like give up with the beans ... what rhymes with carrot....?
He thinks of the obvious ...parrot.... which reminds him of tarot, which doesn't rhyme with carrot but which yeah, it's all about fate really...
And that's true.
Would you believe it?
Up the road, with 64 km to go, Mark Cavendish is down!
Crashing. With broken collarbone. It's the end of his hopes.
But the race must go on.
Mads Pedersen first, Jasper Philipsen second, Wout van Aert third.
It's all about fate.
Really.
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