Wednesday, July 11, 2007

Tour's most difficult climb?

Whats the most difficult climb in the Tour de France this year? 

I don't know, but now I want to find out. Okay, maybe I knew this a bit late, but 
seemingly the legendary Alpe d'Huez, the staggering uncategorised 13.1 km climb at 8.1% with 21 hairpin turns (ooooph thats a pain!) is not featured this year. Since it is located in 
Isere, France.. I did not find it anywhere in the 21 stage profiles of the Tour. So, the riders
probably won't go on Alpe at all.

Then what?

Look at Stage 8 : Le Grand-Bornand Tignes (165 km).



Mountain passes & Hills
Le Grand-Bornand Tignes - 165 km
Km 15.5 - Col du Marais - 3.8 km climb to 4.1 % - 4 Category
Km 22.0 - Côte du Bouchet-Mont-Charvin - 2.0 km climb to 7.1 % - 3 Category
Km 46.5 - Col de Tamié - 9.5 km climb to 4 % - 2 Category
Km 99.5 - Cormet de Roselend (D.925-D.902) - 19.9 km climb to 6 % - 1 Category
Km 136.5 - Montée d'Hauteville (N.90-V.C) - 15.3 km climb to 4.7 % - 1 Category
Km 163.0 - Montée de Tignes - 18.0 km climb to 5.4 % - 1 Category

Now that's a hilly stage!!! At km 99.5, the boys will go 19.9 km at 6% straight up on a Cat 1! That will be a pain!

Look at stage 9 : Val-d’Isère - Briançon (159.5km).



I don't know if Alpe d'Huez comes somewhere in this stage. Maybe not. Here's what is known:

Mountain passes and hills :

Val-d’Isère Briançon - 159.5 km
Km 15.0 - Col de l'Iseran - 15.0 km climb to 6 % - H Category
Km 99.0 - Col du Télégraphe - 12.0 km climb to 6.7 % - 1 Category
Km 122.0 - Col du Galibier - 17.5 km climb to 6.9 % - H Category

Look at that last one there. 17.5 km at 6.9%. We won't miss the great Col du Galibier,
deemed to be the highest point in the Tour de France where legendary cyclists have shown
spectacular performances in the past years. Note however, in the stage profile, that Col 
de I'Iseran is 2770m, more than 100 meters above Galibier. Technically, that shouldbe the
highest point this year, when riders will breathe most hardest and meet the angels of cycling.

Now lets go to stage 15 : Foix Loudenvielle - Le Louron (196 km)


Mountain passes & Hills

Foix Loudenvielle - Le Louron - 196 km
Km 27.5 - Col de Port - 11.4 km climb to 5.3 % - 2 Category
Km 98.5 - Col de Portet d'Aspet - 5.7 km climb to 6.9 % - 2 Category
Km 114.0 - Col de Menté - 7.0 km climb to 8.1 % - 1 Category
Km 159.5 - Port de Balès - 19.2 km climb to 6.2 % - H Category
Km 184.5 - Col de Peyresourde - 9.7 km climb to 7.8 % - 1 Category

This could easily be the most difficult stage! The Col de Mente, at an amazing 8.1% gradient is sure to make some dizzy, I would most certainly puke going up that at racing pace!

Hold your horses though. When the riders are in Mazamet for Stage 14, lots of pain mightawait them.

I mean, just look at this staggering profile.


From 187 m at 67.5 km, riders will be riding at almost a constant uphill until the 94th kilometer,
when boy, that road will rise above their wheels like a rug. The boys will be going straight
up to Port de Pailhères.

Check out the info :

Mountain passes & Hills

Mazamet Plateau-de-Beille - 197 km
Km 9.0 - Côte de Saint-Sarraille - 9.0 km climb to 5.3 % - 2 Category
Km 146.5 - Port de Pailhères - 16.8 km climb to 7.2 % - H Category
Km 197.0 - PLATEAU-DE-BEILLE - 15.9 km climb to 7.9 % - H Category

Even though are two "H" category climbs (God knows what H stands for, if you ask me,
I would guess HORRIBLE!) in stage 9, stage 14 will most likely be the killer course, with both
those climbs looking solid at excess of 7%, 15-17 kms each.

17 km  = 10.6 miles.
1711 meters of climbing from kilometer 94 to 176.5.. thats 5612 feet of climbing in 82.5 km or 51.56 miles.... That, according to me, will take 
a lot of nerves.

I mean, who knows whats the most difficult. Its purely subjective and will depend upon the race
conditions, breakways etc. The pressures will be immense, I would say, in each of these
stages.

I'm just worried about who the King of Mountains will be...and who will take that Yellow Jersey
away from Cancellara and when. I put my hopes on Vinokourov, but he has been known to break at the wrong times. I really want him to win!

Source info : http://www.letour.fr

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