Stage 8 Beaufort - Plateau de Solaison (120.0km)
If the Tour Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes has not yet been decided, it certainly will be during the relatively short but highly demanding final stage. Over just 120 kilometers, the riders must tackle four major Alpine climbs. The action begins immediately from the start, as the peloton is sent straight onto the steep slopes of the Col du Pré (6.9 km at 10.1%). This climb also featured in last year’s Tour de France.
The Col du Pré is little more than a warm-up for the subsequent climbs of the Montée de Bisanne (11.4 km at 7.7%) and the Col des Aravis (7 km at 6.8%). Will we see an all-or-nothing attack from a GC contender on one of these climbs? Or will they save their energy for the race’s final judge and executioner: the climb to the Plateau de Solaison?
This 11.3-kilometer ascent — averaging over 9% — has already served as a battleground several times in recent editions of the Dauphiné. And not only that: the climb will also feature in the upcoming Tour de France. In short, the final stage feels very much like a dress rehearsal for the upcoming Grande Boucle.
| Date | Sunday 14 June |
| Start |  Beaufort |
| Finish | Plateau de Solaison |
| Distance | 120.0 km |
| Start time | 13:20 |
| Expected finish | 16:44-17:12 |
Stage 8 Beaufort - Plateau de Solaison (120.0km)
If the Tour Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes has not yet been decided, it certainly will be during the relatively short but highly demanding final stage. Over just 120 kilometers, the riders must tackle four major Alpine climbs. The action begins immediately from the start, as the peloton is sent straight onto the steep slopes of the Col du Pré (6.9 km at 10.1%). This climb also featured in last year’s Tour de France.
The Col du Pré is little more than a warm-up for the subsequent climbs of the Montée de Bisanne (11.4 km at 7.7%) and the Col des Aravis (7 km at 6.8%). Will we see an all-or-nothing attack from a GC contender on one of these climbs? Or will they save their energy for the race’s final judge and executioner: the climb to the Plateau de Solaison?
This 11.3-kilometer ascent — averaging over 9% — has already served as a battleground several times in recent editions of the Dauphiné. And not only that: the climb will also feature in the upcoming Tour de France. In short, the final stage feels very much like a dress rehearsal for the upcoming Grande Boucle.