Tour de France 2020: Riders race train during La Course and Tour de France

ByEurosport

Updated 29/08/2020 at 14:31 GMT

If you want an illustration of the speeds professional cyclists can hit, look no further than these races against a train at the Tour de France…

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Ever tried to race a car on your bike and fail miserably? Well, how about racing a train?

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That was the unlikely battle on show as Grand Tour racing returned to France on Saturday with La Course and the opening stage of the Tour de France.

A stretch of road on the circuit around Nice ran alongside a railway, allowing riders to test themselves against a train.

And a stacked front group containing eventual winner Lizzie Deignan in La Course hit speeds of over 50kph as they held off the advances of a two-carriage train.

'There might be a stewards' enquiry!' - La Course leaders race train

Not to be outdone, the men also enjoyed various battles during their 156km adventure around a rain-soaked Nice.

Peloton races train during Stage 1

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