The route of the 14th stage of the Tour de France amounts to 188 kilometres. Following some minor uphill kicks the road starts to defy gravity at kilometre 95 to crest the Col de la Croix de Berthel at kilometre 130. The official KOM is 9.1 kilometres at 5.3%, but you’ll get the idea. A long and gradual drag up with some flat sections and downhills along the way. After the Croix de Berthel the route kicks up two more times before descending back to the valley, and after following 10 kilometres on the flat the finale begins. The Col de la Croix Neuve appears 4.5 kilometres before the line. The hill is 3 kilometres and averaging 10.2%, while its steepest ramps are 18%. An 1 kilometre drop and 500 metres on the flat lead to the finish on the airport runway in Mende.
If attackers from far out are given to much leash and they arrive at the foot of Col de la Croix Neuve with a reasonable advantage, than they might stand a chance. If not, it’s up to the puncheurs in the peloton. Fast descending puncheurs – Valverde, Alaphilippe – are men to watch.
Favourites 14th stage 2018 Tour de France
*** Alejandro Valverde, Julian Alaphilippe, Primoz Roglic, Daniel Martin
** Adam Yates, Thomas De Gendt, Geraint Thomas, Tom Dumoulin
* Romain Bardet, Greg Van Avermaet, Michal Kwiatkowski
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Tour de France 2018 stage 14: Route maps, height profiles, and more
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St.-Paul-Trois-Chateaux and Mende at Google maps
