The Tour enters the Alps today for the first of four mountainous stages. Today’s stage from Digne-les-Bains to Pra Loup is possibly the easiest of the four though. Along the way, the riders will face five categorised climbs:
Km 40.0 – Col des Lèques 6 kilometre-long climb at 5.3% – category 3
Km 67.0 – Col de Toutes Aures 6.1 kilometre-long climb at 3.1% – category 3
Km 96.0 – Col de la Colle-Saint-Michel (1 431 m) 11 kilometre-long climb at 5.2% – category 2
Km 139.0 – Col d’Allos ( 2 250 m) 14 kilometre-long climb at 5.5% – category 1
Km 161.0 – Pra Loup (1 620 m) 6.2 kilometre-long climb at 6.5% – category 2
The final climb to Pra Loup is not particularly difficult and if any challengers to race leader Chris Froome want to put any serious time into their rival, then the penultimate climb of the Col d’Allos, might be a better place to attack.
It’s not just the climb of the Col d’Allos where time might be gained though, as the descent is particularly tricky also. We could see Vincenzo Nibali try his hand once again at gaining some time here. Unfortunately he is already 7’49” down on GC.
The exact same route from Digne-les-Bains to Pra Loup was used as a stage in the Critérium du Dauphiné last month. Romain Bardet attacked one kilometre before the summit of the Col d’Allos and increased his lead on the descent to win in Pra Loup.
The stage is a tribute to the Tour stage in 1975, which saw Eddy Mercks being dethroned by Bernard Thevenet. That day, the race also climbed both the Col d’Allos and Pra Loup. Will there be as big a shock today?
