Love the look of this stage, lets hope for some good racing.

he 16th stage of the Tour de France is tailor-made for a successful breakaway. Following three climbs the finale is virtually flat, except for a short uphill kicker inside the last 10 kilometres. The route adds up to 169 kilometres.

The race sets off from Pas de la Case, a commune on the Andorran/French border. Effectually, the riders descend the Col de Puymorens in the first kilometres, a pass they climbed in the stage before the rest day.

The route continues to descend, albeit false flat, and moves through Ax-les-Thermes and Tarascon-sur-Ariège before the first climb of the day appears after approximately 70 kilometres. The Col de Port is 17 kilometres long and slopes at 4.6%.

Up next is the Col de la Core, which is an ascent of 14 kilometer at 6,3%. The route then continues onto the infamous Col de Portet d’Aspet. The 5.4 kilometres climb at 7.1% serves its hardest sections in the second part. The last 1.4 kilometres go up at almost 10%.

In the descent the riders pass the monument in the memory of Fabio Casartelli, who crashed at that spot in the 1995 Tour de France. The Olympic champion of 1992 lost consciousness and his injuries proved to be fatal.

The summit of the Portet d’Aspet is 30 kilometres away from the finish line in Saint-Gaudens. After the descent the riders continue onto the flat, slightly downhill, until a 1 kilometre climb at 5% could turn out to be decisive in terms of the stage win.

The first three riders on the line gain time bonuses of 10, 6 and 4 seconds.

That’s got Steve Cummings written all over it, surely? No, OK, lets see who to look out for.

The Contenders: ahead of two summit finishes plenty will want to get in the breakaway today knowing their chances on the big Col du Portet and the famous Luz Ardiden climbs are limited. Julian Alaphilippe (Deceuninck-Quickstep) is again the archetypal rider but he keeps going in breakaways rather than targetting one day. Assuming his rest day went alright he’s an obvious pick and finale suits with the wall-like climb late and the uphill sprint to the line but he says he’s tired. Wout van Aert (Jumbo-Visma) is a pick too.

Magnus Cort (EF-Nippo) has been picked several times, today’s the last chance. David Gaudu (Groupama-FDJ) is stage-hunting but as he found out in Andorra, so are plenty of others. Still the colder weather today is fine for the Husky dog owning Breton and he’s handy in an uphill sprint. He might still prefer to hang back for the summit finishes on Wednesday and Thursday but few get to choose, if you can board the right wagon you’ll go. Chez Trek-Segafredo Toms Skujiņš and Bauke Mollema are candidates again. Bora-Hansgrohe’s Patrick Konrad is active. Bahrain’s Dylan Teuns is on good around today, the same for Astana’s Omar Fraile and perhaps Alex Aranburu.

Rest day yesterday, so no pics. I thought I’d instead mention Lachlan Morton who has just completed the Tour route solo, often in a pair of sandals. The full story is here, https://cyclingtips.com/2021/07/lachlan-morton-has-finished-his-alt-tour-five-days-early/

Lachlan’s butt must be made of old leather!

Would normally be an ideal stage for Thomas de Gendt, don’t think he will win as he seems to be struggling this year, but hoping he’s in the days break.

That’s one hell of a ride from Lachlan Morton although I am left wondering how much fun it all was… I mean, I’d love to do a tour like that but I’d also like not to be riding 400+km per day for 2.5 weeks!

As for today’s racing – on paper it’d seem a good one for Kwiatkowski if Ineos can let go of their ridiculous determination to ride like they’re in yellow in a so far vain attempt to get Carapaz up to the lofty heights of 3rd overall…

Otherwise, yeah WvA or Julian Alaphilippe although I think he’ll be more closely marked. He deserves to get the overall Combativity Award though!

If things had gone even slightly differently 21 years ago I would of been living alongside today’s route near Aspect. One of those tiny little blips in the Cosmos that determines one’s destiny. Ah well. Really looking forward to this stage. Not sure I have thanked Lunge for his daily posts yet, but consider it done. Really appreciate mate…

Imagine holding that position on a bike for 2.5 weeks

Textbook touring geo

Nice to see them go through Soldeu, cos I’ve been skiing there several times. For years, I’ve fancied going there to mountain bike, but never managed it unfortunately.

I’ve ridden most of those roads back in 2007 (on the same day as the stage not on the Etape). It was really enjoyable, except for the Porte d’Aspet which is my least favorite climb and I went over the Mente in heavy rain.

Kwaito would be a great shout, not sure he’ll be let off through.
Is this a stage for a random break, an unknown French rider making his name perhaps?

Cold start, look like a long neutral run down into the valley for the start proper in slightly warmer conditions.

Is this a stage for a random break, an unknown French rider making his name perhaps?

Bastille Day is tomorrow, you know…

I know early, but what’s the timings for Sunday? I have errands to run and want to make sure I’m sat in front of my TV in readiness, I recall recent stages finishing early evening instead of the more usual ‘tea time’

@theotherjonv – yes, evening finish again:
https://www.letour.fr/en/stage-21 (click on “timings” at the top). It’s local time given so 1hr ahead of UK time.

Thanks!

Although did I imagine them finishing properly in the evening one year? 9pm ish?

What do we think about the time cut today? Cav about 10 min off the back with 49km (and one Cat 2 climb) to go.

Time cut will be about 40-odd minutes, no issues. Green jersey group is only about 3 mins behind the peloton, they’ve more or less sat up and left it to the breakaway.

Some stunning chateaux on this stage – that one that was being re-roofed was really something.

Cobrelli Sunny 😀

I do think the green jersey should have heavier weighting points wise for actual stage wins, saying Bling Matthews is catching Cav up, yet has not one a stage over Cav’s 4..

You wouldn’t get the Olympic sprinting medal for being the person who gets to 50m first but had never won the 100m..

Commentary has just said about Matthew’s breathing down Cav’s neck – surely at most 22 points aren’t going to make that much difference?

Cav in the yellow jersey group according to the commentary.

Ignore me – it’s 35 points with the intermediate sprint

That should help to ensure a bunch finish on the next flat stage with DQS not having to do all the work at the front.

LouLou in the autobus!?!?! Guess who picked him to win this morning? 😖