2020 Tour de France stage 13 preview
September 11, 2020: Châtel-Guyon > Puy Mary Cantal, 191.5km
Stage 13: Châtel-Guyon - Puy Mary Cantal
Date: September 11, 2020
Distance: 191km
Stage start: 11:50 a.m. CEST
Stage type: Mountain
On paper this is one of the hardest stages of the Tour this year. What it lacks in altitude, it makes up for in number of the climbs, seven categorised mountain ascents and the biggest elevation gain of the 2020 Tour with a total of 4,400 metres.
The Association of Auvergne Cheeses describes mature Cantal, the kind that has been aged for at least eight months, as “strongly flavoured” and “quite hard” in texture. ‘Quite hard’ doesn’t at all go far enough in describing stage 13 of the 2020 Tour. The Auvergne is well known for producing so many different varieties of cheese that there is an official tourist route called the ‘Route de Fromages’, complete with brown road signs, arrows and a helpful graphic of a large cheeseboard. However, stage 13 has eschewed the stopping points for coagulated milk proteins with bacterial enzymes, and instead incorporated along its route almost as many climbs as there are varieties of cheese in the Auvergne.
While the stage lacks the single haymaker punch of an Alpine or Pyrenean stage, it instead wears the riders down with a series of jabs and crosses, which begin 36km from the start on the category 1 Col de Ceyssat. There are a series of unrelenting category 2 and 3 peaks that lead to the knockout uppercut on the summit finish on the Pas de Peyrol. This category 1 climb follows the highest road pass in the Massif Central, finishing on the 1,589-metre high Pas de Peyrol (Puy Mary) in the heart of the extinct volcanoes of the Auvergne.
The Puy Mary is a Tour stalwart, having appeared on the race route 10 times in total. Recently, two French riders, Richard Virenque and Thomas Voeckler, have crossed the summit first, in 2004 and 2011 respectively, Virenque en route to the mountain jersey and Voeckler about to take the yellow.
This is a perfect stage for some foundation building in the mountains classification but it’s also perfect ambush territory for riders hoping to win the yellow jersey.
Thank you for reading 5 articles in the past 30 days*
Join now for unlimited access
Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
*Read any 5 articles for free in each 30-day period, this automatically resets
After your trial you will be billed £4.99 $7.99 €5.99 per month, cancel anytime. Or sign up for one year for just £49 $79 €59
Join now for unlimited access
Try your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
Get The Leadout Newsletter
The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!
Cyclingnews is the world's leader in English-language coverage of professional cycling. Started in 1995 by University of Newcastle professor Bill Mitchell, the site was one of the first to provide breaking news and results over the internet in English. The site was purchased by Knapp Communications in 1999, and owner Gerard Knapp built it into the definitive voice of pro cycling. Since then, major publishing house Future PLC has owned the site and expanded it to include top features, news, results, photos and tech reporting. The site continues to be the most comprehensive and authoritative English voice in professional cycling.
Most Popular
Latest on Cyclingnews
-
Astana winning in transfer market as they sign Champoussin from Arkéa-B&B Hotels - but will it be enough to avoid relegation?
Arkéa-B&B Hotels worries continue as team bleeds talent with loss of Frenchman a year before his contract ends -
Unbound Gravel winner Rosa Klöser to combine privateering with WorldTour racing in 2025 for Canyon-SRAM
German gravel racer signs two-year deal with road team after only starting competitive cycling in 2022 -
No retirement in sight as Ashleigh Moolman Pasio extends with AG Insurance-Soudal, focuses on Tour de France Femmes through 2026
South African delays end to career for another two seasons of racing on Belgian team -
Tadej Pogačar, Remco Evenepoel head to final team events before closing out 2024 season
Tudor welcomes Alaphilippe, Hirschi in Swiss gathering