It doesn't come much tougher than this - one Hors Categorie, four cat 1 cols and one cat 2 climb that adds up to 54km of climbing and an average gradient of 7.96% - that also adds up to plenty of pain! Riders will pass the monument to Fabio Casartelli, killed on the Col du Portet d'Aspet in 1995, where the peloton will most likely slow down to pay its respects as it rides past. It's then on to the Col de Mente, Portillon, Peyresourde, Val-Louron Azet before finishing up Lat-d'Adet in St-Lary - Soulan. The climbs are evenly spaced out, and it's pretty clear to see what everyone is in for - plenty of mountains that don't necessarily reach great heights, but do so very quickly.
Stage 15 will probably serve as the ultimate selection day, and look for Armstrong, Ullrich, Basso, and maybe Rasmussen to fight it out for the stage and GC honours.
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US Road National Championships: Kendall Ryan defends criterium title, late crash reduces field
Back-to back victory for Ryan as she outpaces Virginia Blue Ridge Twenty28 duo in sprint to line -
Tadej Pogačar 'shaken' after partner Urska Žigart injured in Tour de Suisse crash
'He didn't seem to be in any mood to race' says team manager after world champion extends race lead -
Tour of Slovenia: Dušan Rajović out-sprints Laurence Pithie to win stage 2
Pithie keeps race lead after frantic bunch sprint -
As it happened: Frenchman delivers from breakaway on Tour de Suisse Men stage 2 after breathless finale
Romain Grégoire wins sprint from reduced group as escapees just hold off late charge from Pogačar and Vacek
