The Stage
One for the breakaway again. We jaunt through the Pyrenees over roads that rise and fall gently with bits for the climbers too.
After 17km of fair flat, we reach the first categorised climb of the day. The Montée de Naves d’Aubrac averages 6.4% for 8.9km although the tough rural road means you can add nearly a kilometre onto that. There’s plenty of little peaks afterwards, the biggest of which is out of Vieurals, listed as 3.3km at 5.9% although there’s more uphills before and afterwards.
The road rolls up and down until the intermediate sprint at Saint-Alban sur-Limagnole, and then a 10km ascent which is unlisted but about 4%, an interesting point for the breakaway here given that everything drops from La Peride, with steep valley roads that head slightly downhill and then the Col de Peyra Taillade.
The Finish
The Col de Peyra Taillade is a first category climb that can be split into three parts. The first three kilometres are 6, 6.8%, 6.2% and 6% before a bridge onto the extremes of the day, a pair of kilometres which average 9.8% and 12.1% but includes plenty of the 14% that have been crucial for the tour so far.
The climb eases up after that, with a kilometre at 4.7% and then the stage ends hard with two kilometres at 7 and 7.5%.
The descent allows time to get back on but the Cote de Saint-Vidal is 2 km at 7% and the finishing five kilometres have a downhill for two before a flat finish.
The Contenders
This stage screams breakaway. Warren Barguil will go for the points once again but this stage is more than just for climbers. Serge Pauwels looks a good option for Dimension Data as well as Steve Cummings who has already given a push. Trek have two options for the break in Jarlinston Pantano and Bauke Mollema but Alberto Contador is now in the top 10 again and looked red hot on Thursday.
Cannondale can try again but Marcus Burghardt has already gone into more than one break. BMC have in form riders and would love a stage win after Van Avermaet was denied yesterday so Damiano Caruso, Alessandro De Marchi and Nico Roche are also contenders.
Robert Kiserlovski likes this terrain but it’s not exclusively for climbers so Tony Martin could try once again to get in too and one of the puncheurs.
The Weather
Sunny and safe – let’s hope it stays that way.