Tour de France 2015 Route stage 15: Mende

Tour de France 2015 Route stage 15: Mende – Valence

Sunday, July 19, 2015 – Stage 15 brings 183 kilometres of racing between Mende and Valence. Climbs, rolling roads and a flat finale - it is al little bit of everything. So that's ample ammunition for interesting racing!

Mende is at an elevation of 731 metres and with 9.5 kilometres done riders are at the Côte de Badaroux (1,011 metres) after a 4.6 kilometres climb at 5.1%. It is labelled 3rd category which will inspire possible kings of the mountains to go for it. Once atop the rolling terrain lingers at an elevation of around 1,000 metres and with 69.5 kilometres done Col du Bez is crested – 2.6 kilometres at 4,4% and category 4. Four kilometres down the road more KOM points are to be gained at Col de la Croix de Bauzon – a 1.3 kilometres climb at 6.2%, labelled category 4.

After a 40 kilometres drop riders are at the foot of Col de l’Escrinet appears. Those who aspire to be a king of the mountains can do business here since the 7.9 kilometres climb (at 5.8%) is in the 2nd category. Once crested it is only 60 kilometres to the finish line, the first half downhill, the remainder flat.

Arrival town Valence hosted the Tour de France only once. In 1996 it was ‘Chepe’ Gonzalez Pico receiving the kisses.