Stage 17 sees riders tackling feared Tourmalet
The 17th stage of the 2010 Tour de France will be the most difficult race. If there was an ‘hors-category’ stage, this would be it. Pretty much the entire route is either up or down – the sections labelled ‘flat’ are really flat. The 174km stage from Pau to the summit of the Tourmalet includes three climbs and the steepest stretches in the Tour.
To celebrate a hundred years of the Pyrenees in the Tour de France, this is the second climb of the Tourmalet. This is the same mountain which prompted the very first cyclist to ever reach the summit to call the stage organizers ‘murderers’ for asking people to do it. Frenchman Octave Lapize angrily reached the top, after having to push his bike part of the way, in 1910.
The difference this time is that, while the Tour contenders followed the same route as Lapize did in the 16th stage, the second time they will climb it from the ‘more difficult’ side!
To prepare for this, the route planners have put the second and final rest day before the final mountain stage, the fourth of the Pyrenees, expecting the most aggressive battle for general classification to take place on these five climbs. Last year, however, the similarly decisive stage of Mont Ventoux disappointed the expectations of a battle by an awkward stage of the contenders all waiting for each other to make the first move.
For Thursday’s stage, we’ll have to hope for Andy Schleck to take a lead on Alberto Contador, because if the overall leader is ahead of the pack then the fight will be as good as over.
The climb of the Marie-Blanque, gives way to a 3km stretch through the valley, before beginning the 25km long climb up the Soulor. The Aubisque is next, for the second time, then the summit finish of the Tourmalet. The finish line of the 17th stage is the highest point in the Tour de France, and the stage winner will be awarded with the the Henri-Desgrange memorial trophy.
The three climbs of this intensive stage of the race are each significantly tougher than their predecessors. The Marie-Blanque isn’t very high be the final 4km be it gives way into the valley average a 10% incline. The Soulor is much longer and much higher, and will be climbed from what is reputed to be the most difficult angle.
After the first two climbs, both category 2, the Tourmalet will be climbed for the second time. Ivan Basso and Lance Armstrong have both taken stage wins at the Col du Tourmalet before, but it has never been climbed from its rugged western side until now. The ascent will be at its steepest as it passes through the town of Barèges, but will offer no respite to the weary legs of the contenders. With no experience on this climb, it is sure to make a mark on the Tour.
This is only the second time this legendary summit will be the finish of the stage, though the route has climbed the mountain 73 times since Lapize first conquered it. Jean-Pierre Danguillaume, in 1974, won the first and only finish at the 2,115m summit, so far.
The summit sits 174km from the starting line in Pau, which has hosted 62 stages of the Tour. In 2007 and 2008, as well as this year, it has hosted a finish, followed by a rest day, then a stage start. Both of those stages which started in Pau went on to be won by Italian riders.
Pau was also the mourning place for Fabio Casartelli in 1995, when the Italian cyclist died the day before on the descent from the Portet d’Aspet, a descent that was included on the route this year. The riders rode passed the Italian’s memorial on Monday.
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