Despite not being a mountainous stage – and only featuring two fourth category climbs – at the end of this stage, the Tour will arrive in the Alps. Although those two climbs are the only ones to count, the altitude rises steadily from 46 metres at the start in Nîmes to 599 metres at the finish in Digne les Bains. The route crosses Provence and the Luberon wine area between Mont Ventoux and the Côte d'Azur before finishing in the spa town in the shadow of the high mountains that divide France form its neighbour Italy.
Digne les Bains is a fairly regular host to the Tour, having been a stage town eleven times before. Last time – in 2005 – David Moncoutié took the second of his two career stage wins after attacking the break on the road from Briançon to the north.
-
UCI Cyclo-cross World Cup Gavere: Mathieu van der Poel fends off Thibau Nys to take win number four
Nys, Tibor del Grosso round out the podium -
'For 45 minutes I lay in a stationary ambulance' - Filippo Baroncini says he 'nearly went blind' due to Tour de Pologne crash
Italian reveals delays to his treatment after serious crash -
UCI Cyclo-cross World Cup Gavere: unstoppable Lucinda Brand continues to rule supreme as Fouquenet impresses again
Pieterse rounds out podium as Dutch veteran overcomes crash-blighted start to go clear for solo victory after second of six laps -
'The best day of his career' - Brutal defeat of Tadej Pogačar on Col de la Loze in 2023 Tour de France revealed massive inner resilience, say UAE management
UAE Team Emirates-XRG CEO Mauro Gianetti praises Slovenian's ability to fight back from defeats
