Hills up, hills down with grueling final weekend looming

We are gradually approaching the climax of the 2024 Tour de France. Before the last three stages definitively determine the winner of this edition, the ASO has included a hilly stage. Stage eighteen takes the riders from Gap to Barcelonnette. The route covers 178 kilometers and features six climbs of various types and sizes. Strong sprinters, climbers, and adventurers: seize your opportunity!

Pau is a frequent host in the Tour de France. The town in Hautes-Alpes has hosted the start or finish of the prestigious race 26 times. Often, this has resulted in victories for attacking riders. Think of Jean-François Bernard ('86), Pierrick Fédrigo ('06), Thor Hushovd ('11), or Rui Costa ('13). This year, Gap could once again add an adventurer to this list.

The riders head towards Barcelonnette. No, it has nothing to do with the Spanish city. Nevertheless, the town in the Ubaye Valley does have Spanish-language influences. In the 19th century, many residents of the town emigrated to Mexico to seek their fortunes in the mining industry. Upon their return, their Mexican customs and rituals left an imprint on the cuisine and architecture of the town.

In addition to these Mexican influences, cycling is also not foreign to the town. In fact, one of the greatest French cyclists in recent years, Romain Bardet, has roots in Barcelonnette. While Bardet himself was not born there, there is certainly a connection.

So, for Romain Bardet, stage eighteen feels a bit like coming home, where the escape artists will find a course tailored for them. After just over fifteen kilometers, the Col du Festre (13.8 km at 4.3%) looms. A strong group could break away here. A descent follows, leading the riders to the Côte de Corps (3.3 km at 4.5%), followed by the Côte de Costes (2.6 km at 6%).

Nearly twenty flat kilometers bring the riders halfway through the race, before the Col de Manse (6.3 km at 3.7%) comes into play. There are enough opportunities uphill to test the competition before the toughest climb of the day potentially emerges. The Côte à Saint-Apollinaire (7.9 km at 5.2%) will cause a definitive separation, shedding the exhausted chasers. Time for the finale.

The Côte de Demoiselles Coiffées (6.4 km at 3.8%) is the final categorized challenge for the muscles in this stage. At the top, the riders still have about forty kilometers to go. A descent and a short two-kilometer climb bring the riders onto false flat terrain. Only the last eight kilometers are flat again. Will some climbers manage to break free from the competition? Or will the strong sprinters survive the 3,000 meters of climbing?

Date	18 July 2024
Start	Gap
Finish	Barcelonnette
Distance	179.5 km
Type	Individual Road Race
Average Speed	43.02 km/h
Overall Profile	Hill
Finish Profile	Flat

Tour de France

Men Elite - 2.UWT