Arrival town Bagnères-de-Luchon saw Thomas Voeckler taek stage wins in 2010 and 2012. The years are taking their toll – after all, Le Chouchou is 35 years by now -, but he will surely take his chances today…
Favourites
Vincenzo Nibali
Only one goal for Nibali in 2014: win the Tour de France. An improved Dauphine performance after a tough season suggested he’ll be in the mix, but he was some way behind Contador on the climbs. He’s now the Italian champion and he may choose to show off his tricolour on the final descent today. We’ve seen him pull out minutes almost easily on terrain like this. Can he put on a show today and take some time? His form is up after his disappointing pre-season, not only shown with the Italian championship but also with his victory in stage 2. Or should we say: his disappointing pre-season was in fact a brilliant build-up, since his performance in stage 5 was nothing short of spectacular, just like his performaces in the Alps.
Michal Kwiatkowski
Another great descender. If he and Nibali can go down into the depths together upon cresting Port de Balès, it’s possible they could take minutes and battle for day victory.
Another scenario could see the escapees cresting the Port de Balès earlier than the GC men. Potential candidates to shine in such a break are Simon Spilak (strong with wins in the Tour de Romandie and the Dauphiné) and Tony Martin, who brilliantly outpowered each and everyone in stage 9.
Alexandre Geniez has fond memories of the region. Last year, a stage in the Vuelta finished on French soil and the 25-year old FDJ-rider soloed to victory after attacking the break on the descent.
Favourites:
Vincenzo Nibali
Michal Kwiatkowski
Outsiders:
Simon Spilak
Tony Martin
Alexandre Geniez
Tour de France 2014 stage 16: Images and more
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Related articles Riders and teams - Tour de France 2014 Favourites - Tour de France 2014 Withdrawals - Tour de France 2014 Favourites - Tour de France 2014 Route - Tour de France 2014 More articles Tour de France 2020: The Route
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Tour de France 2020 Route stage 1: Nice - Nice
Tour de France 2020 Favourites stage 1: Fight for yellow
Tour de France 2020 Route stage 2: Nice - Nice
Tour de France 2020 Favourites stage 2: Climbers with descending skills
Tour de France 2020 Route stage 3: Nice - Sisteron
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Tour de France 2020 Route stage 4: Sisteron - Orcières-Merlette
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Tour de France 2020 Favourites stage 5: Strong sprinters on false flat finish
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Tour de France 2020 Favourites stage 7: Sprint stage with echelon threat
Tour de France 2020 Route stage 8: Cazères - Loudenville
Tour de France 2020 Favourites stage 8: Fast descenders in first Pyrenees race
Tour de France 2020 Route stage 9: Pau - Laruns
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Tour de France 2020 Route stage 10: Île d'Oléron - Île de Ré
Tour de France 2020 Favourites stage 10: Echelons on the Atlantic coast?
Tour de France 2020 Route stage 11: Châtelaillon-Plage - Poitiers
Tour de France 2020 Route stage 12: Chauvigny - Sarran Corrèze
Tour de France 2020 Favourites stage 12: Day for the breakaway
Tour de France 2020 Route stage 13: Châtel-Guyon - Puy Mary
Tour de France 2020 Favourites stage 13: Huge clash in the Massif Central
Tour de France 2020 Route stage 14: Clermont-Ferrand - Lyon
Tour de France 2020 Favourites stage 14: Classics riders in Lyon
Tour de France 2020 Route stage 15: Lyon - Grand Colombier
Tour de France 2020 Favourites stage 15: Grande Finale on Grand Colombier
Tour de France 2020 Route stage 16: La Tour-du-Pin - Villard-de-Lans
Tour de France 2020 Favourites stage 16: Alpine race with punchy finale
Tour de France 2020 Route stage 17: Grenoble - Col de la Loze
Tour de France 2020 Route stage 18: Méribel - La Roche-sur-Foron
Tour de France 2020 Favourites stage 18: Heroism on unpaved roads
Tour de France 2020 Route stage 19: Bourg-en-Bresse - Champagnole
Tour de France 2020 Favourites stage 19: A taste of the Champs-Élysées
Tour de France 2020 Route stage 20: Lure - La Planche des Belles Filles
Tour de France 2020 Favourites stage 20: Dennis versus Dumoulin
Tour de France 2020 Route stage 21: Mantes-la-Jolie - Paris
Tour de France 2020 Favourites stage 21: Final sprint in Paris
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