Stage 18 - Thursday, July 24: Bourg d'Oisans - Saint Étienne, 196.5km
The Alps are behind us now, but this stage is by no means flat with a third, a second and a fourth...
- Race Home
-
Stages
-
Stage 1197.5km | Brest - Plumelec
-
Stage 2164.5km | Auray - Saint Brieuc
-
Stage 3208km | Saint-Malo - Nantes
-
Stage 429.5km | Cholet - Cholet (ITT)
-
Stage 5232km | Cholet - Châteauroux
-
Stage 6195.5km | Aigurande - Super Besse
-
Stage 7159km | Brioude - Aurillac
-
Stage 8172.5km | Figeac - Toulouse
-
Stage 9224km | Toulouse - Bagnères de Bigorre
-
Stage 10156km | Pau - Hautacam
-
Stage 11167.5km | Lannemezan - Foix
-
Stage 12168.5km | Lavelanet - Narbonne
-
Stage 13182km | Narbonne - Nîmes
-
Stage 14194.5km | Nîmes - Digne les Bains
-
Stage 15183km | Embrun - Prato Nevoso
-
Stage 16157km | Cuneo - Jausiers
-
Stage 17210.5km | Embrun - L'Alpe d'Huez
-
Stage 18196.5km | Bourg d'Oisans - Saint Étienne
-
Stage 19165.5km | Roanne - Montluçon
-
Stage 2053km | Cérilly - Saint Amand Montrond (ITT)
-
Stage 21143km | Étampes - Paris/Champs Élysées
- View all Stages
-
- History
The Alps are behind us now, but this stage is by no means flat with a third, a second and a fourth category climb to deal with. The course doesn't suit the sprinters, but neither is it tough enough for the climbers and overall contenders, for this reason it has breakaway written all over it. Anyone who has managed to save a bit of energy over the preceding few days will have a go here and in all likelihood the time gap allowed will be enormous providing nobody of any note is in the break.
Bourg d'Oisans has been a stage start time 19 times before, but has never hosted a finish. Sitting as it is at the foot of Alpe d'Huez, it is a natural choice for the next day's stage. The last time a stage started here was in 2006 when the course headed north to another mountaintop finish at La Toussuire. Danish super-climber Michael Rasmussen (Rabobank) took the victory alone on his way to taking the polka dot mountain jersey.
Saint Etienne is another regular Tour host, having been a stage town 23 times before, partly because it used to be the centre of the French bicycle industry. Last time the Tour was here it saw Lance Armstrong (Discovery Channel) cement his seventh and final Tour de France by taking victory in the final time trial of the 2005 race. That day also saw the tragicomic end to Michael Rasmussen's (Rabobank) hope of a podium place, as a disastrous ride saw him crash twice and change his bike three times.
The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!
Latest on Cyclingnews
-
Ryan Mullen defends Irish elite men's title in time trial ahead of Peden and Rafferty
Trio of riders repeat on podium with NSN Cycling's WorldTour veteran carving out bigger margin of victory -
Derek Gee-West secures third elite men's time trial title at Canadian Road Championships
Lidl-Trek rider beats Nickolas Zukowsky and Pier-André Côté in Saint-Georges -
Lara Gillespie strikes for gold in elite women's time trial debut at Irish National Time Trial Championship
Linda Kelly repeats with second place while Marine Lenehan secures third -
Nadia Gontova claims career-first elite women's time trial title at Canadian Road Championships
Paula Findlay second, Emily Driedger third in Saint Georges, Quebec






