Soren Waerenskjold writes a page of history and snatches a nearly thirty-year-old record from Mario Cipollini. The 26-year-old Norwegian from Uno-X Mobility won the fastest stage in Tour de France history, pedaling from Vichy to Nevers at an average speed of 50.910 kilometers per hour.

The previous record belonged, as mentioned, to Mario Cipollini who in 1999 had won the Laval-Blois stage - it was the fourth stage, 195.5 kilometers to cover - at an average of 50.356 km/h, ahead of Zabel, O'Grady and Steels. Obviously, as today, the tailwind that was at the riders' backs had a major impact on such an exceptional result.

Only one other time in history had a stage concluded at an average speed above 50 km/h: it had happened last year in the ninth stage, the Chinon-Chateauroux of 164 km, won by Tim Merlier at an average of 50.1 km/h ahead of Milan and De Lie.

In absolute terms, the only time it went faster in Tour de France history was during stage number 4 of the 1999 edition, with finish in Blois (always around these parts...) and a final average of 50.36 kilometers per hour. That day too, the stage ended in a sprint, with the victory of Mario Cipollini.