The stage profile
After two stages for backpackers – won by the American Sepp Kuss, Sunday, and the Austrian Patrick Konrad, Tuesday -, interspersed with a day of rest on Monday, the Tour de France will return to the hard, Wednesday, in the Pyrenees between Muret and Saint-Lary-Soulan. Two first-class passes, a finish at the top of a non-category pass, 4,100 meters of vertical drop …
The ground is ideal for the favorites of this Grande Boucle and in particular for the pursuers of the yellow jersey, Tadej Pogacar, who still believe they can overthrow him, or who, more prosaically, will be satisfied with a second place. The Slovenian could take the opportunity to permanently establish his domination in the general classification during this stage.
This is divided into two stages: a first fairly flat part which will take the runners from the Haute-Garonne to the Hautes-Pyrénées; a Dantesque second part, from the 115e kilometer, with the sequence of the Col de Peyresourde, Val-Louron-Azet, both of the first category, and finally the final ascent to Saint-Lary-Soulan via the Col du Portet, classified out of category. With an ascent of 16 kilometers at 8.7% on average, and a finish at over 10%, this climb is considered by many to be the hardest in the Pyrenees.