The Tour’s decisive stages start with a tough test that begins easily enough but has two tasty peaks to spice up the closing kilometres.
The Port de Pailhères didn’t feature before 2003 but has become a Tour favourite. It ramps up severely over a series of hairpins towards the summit, from where there’s a rapid descent into Ax-les-Thermes to the foot of the final climb.
Ax-3 Domaines isn’t long and not overly difficult but the main contenders’ speed here should result in some significant time gaps.
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