Stage 14

The route of stage 14 in the Tour de France takes in 181 kilometres in between Blagnac and Rodez. Punchy arrival at a 590 metres climb at 9.6%!

Two years ago, Olympic Champion Greg Van Avermaet outsprinted World Champion Peter Sagan at the steep uphill arrival. What will it be like this time?

The last 25 kilometres are raced on exactly the same parcours as in 2015. Besides two mentioned riders, Michael Mathews, Alejandro Valverde and Philippe Gilbert will be eyeing up this one, too.

The Blagnac-Rodez stage is marked by a flat opening and then the route goes on on more rolling roads. Nothing to worry about though. Yet with 12 kilometres remaining the Côte de Saint-Pierre brings a 642 metres climb to the table. Yes, that is short, but with an average gradient of 8.7% and two sectors at 15% you’ll never know. The summit is merely a false flat.

Obviously, the Saint Pierre-climb is a perfect warm-up for the closing climb in Rodez – 590 metres at 9.6%.

The first three riders on the line take time bonuses at 10, 6 and 4 seconds.