The Tour de France faces its first rest day this Monday after a first week marked by the great start in Bilbao, the ‘give and take’ of Vingegaard and Pogacar in the Pyrenees and the battle of the Puy de Dôme where ‘Pogi’ managed to cut several seconds before the Dane. A well-deserved rest for the riders before facing a second day that also looks exciting with several outstanding stages.
Stage 10: Vulcania – Issoire (Tuesday, July 11)
The second week of the Tour de France will begin with a 167.2-kilometre mid-mountain stage between Vulcania and Issoire. A day in which the cyclists will climb the Col de la Moréno (3rd, 4.8 km at 4.7%) and, a few kilometers later, the Col de Guéry (3rd, 7.8 km at 5% ), two ideal ports for the leak to form. The climb to the Col de la Croix Saint-Robert (2nd, 6km at 6.3%) and the Côte de Saint-Victor-la-Rivière (3rd, 3km at 5.9%) will further increase the toughness before the peloton enters a ridge zone before the last climb of the day, the Côte de la Chapelle-Marcousse (3rd, 6.5 km at 5.6%), which they will crown with 29 kilometers to go and which could encourage the favorites to try it on the way to Issoire.
Stage 12: Roanne – Belleville-en-Beaujolais (Thursday, July 13)
Another half-mountain day on a 168.8-kilometre route between Roanne and Belleville-en-Beaujolais. A stage in which the runners will climb the Côte de Thizy-les-Bourgs (3rd, 4.3 km at 5.6%) and the Col des Ecorbans (3rd, 2.1 km at 6.9 %) in the first kilometers before entering a second part of the stage in which they will have to ascend the Col de la Casse Froide (3rd, 5.2 km at 6.1%) and the demanding ascents to the Col de la Croix Montmain (2nd, 5.5 km at 6.1%) and the Col de la Croix Rosier, second category with its 5.3 kilometers at 7.6% and which will distribute bonuses at the top with 28 kilometers to go, so some favorite could be encouraged to attack on the way to the Belleville finish line- en-Beaujolais.
Stage 13: Châtillon-sur-Chalaronne – Grand Colombier (Friday, July 14)
The Tour will kick off a vibrant weekend coinciding with July 14, the National Holiday of France, with a short but vibrant stage through the Jura massif on a 137.8-kilometre route between Châtillo-sur-Chalarone and the finish line in high to the Grand Colombier. It will be a stage with a quiet start but where the road will start to chop up towards Cormaranche-en-Bugey to face the descent to Culoz, where it will begin the climb to the Grand Colombier, Hors Categorie pass with its 17.4 kilometers at 7.1% with ramps of up to 12% and where Tadej Pogacar already won the last time he climbed here in 2020.
Stage 14: Annemasse – Morzine (Saturday, July 15)
The peloton will face the first stage in the Alps on a 151.8 kilometer route between Annemasse and Morzine. A day in which the Col de Saxel (3rd, 4.2 km at 4.6%) will serve as an appetizer for the first great port of the day, the Col de Cou, first class with its 7 kilometers at 7.4% . The descent of this port will take the runners to another demanding climb, the Col du Feu, a first category with its 5.8 kilometers at 7.8%. The non-pointable climb to the Col de Jambaz will give the runners some breathing space before another demanding test at the Col de la Ramaz, a first-class climb with its 13.9 kilometers at 7.1%. A quick descent and about 10 flat kilometers will take the runners to Samoëns to start the climb to the great colossus of the day, the Col de Joux Plane, Hors Categorie pass with its 11.6 kilometers at 8.5% that will crown 12 kilometers from the finish line and after which the runners will face a fast and dangerous descent on the way to arrival at Morzine.
Stage 15: Les Gets – Saint-Gervais Mont-Blanc (Sunday, July 16)
The second week of the Tour de France will conclude with another demanding day in the Alps of 179 kilometers between Les Gets and Saint-Gervais Mont-Blanc. After a start in which they will climb the Col des Fleuries (non-scoring), the runners will climb the Col de la Forclaz de Montmin, first category with its 7.2 kilometers at 7.3%. After recovering on the descent and ascending the Col du Marais (non-scoring), the cyclists will face another demanding ascent, the Col de la Croix Fry, first category with its 11.3 kilometers at 7%, and which, after a brief descent , will link up with the Col des Aravis (3rd, 4.4 km at 5.8%). After several easy kilometers and a fast descent into Domancy, the peloton will face the final chain with the climb to the Côte des Amerands (2nd, 2.7 km at 10.9%) and, without rest, to Saint-Gervais Mont-Blanc in Le Bettex in a first category climb with 7 kilometers of ascent at 7.7%.