Stage 16 - July 25: Castelsarrasin - Sarran, 227.5 km

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By Tim Maloney

Wednesday's Stage 16 heads due north for 227.5km from northern Gascony town of Castelsarrasain to Sarran in the Correze region of the Massif Centrale. This is the "Etape Presidentiele" to the country home and political constituency of French President Jacques Chirac, recently embattled on extensive corruption charges. Chirac's wife is the vice mayor Of Sarran and his chateau and Presidential Museum are here as well.

The up and down profile of this stage, especially the Hilly last 60km make it a prime target of attacking riders like Euskatel ‘s David Etxebarria and Credit Agricole's Jens Voigt.

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Description

Castelsarrasin is set among the vast and generous plains of the Garonne and Tarn, amidst scattered fields and orchards. The old town, which played an important part during the Albigensian crisis and the Hundred Years' War, became the sous-préfecture of the Tarn-et-Garonne in 1808. From its past it has preserved St Saviour's Church with its superb Baroque furniture (17th and 18th century), its old houses and part of its fortifications.

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