Tour de France 2020 Route stage 18: Méribel

Tour de France 2020 Route stage 18: Méribel - La Roche-sur-Foron

Thursday 16 July - The 18 stage on the Tour de France runs parallel to the borders with Italy and Switzerland through the Alps. At 168 kilometres, the race travels over five intermediate climbs to a downhill finish in La Roche-sur-Foron.

Following an extended false flat the uphill party gets going on the Cormet de Roselend. The climb to the summit at 1,968 metres is 19 kilometres long and the average gradient sits at 6%. The peak is crested at kilometre 46.5 and on descent the riders tackle a short uphill kick on the Col de Méraillet before continuing downhill.

No rest for the wicked. The descent runs onto the Col de Saisies, which is another long ascent (15 kilometres) although the average gradient is moderate at 5.1%.

Following a short stint in the valley the Col des Aravis appears – 6.7 kilometres at 7% – before the riders fly down a 20 kilometres descent to the foot of the Montée du Plateau des Glières. It’s a 6 kilometres torture at 11.2% with an extra masochistic element in the last 2 kilometres, as this sector climbs on a dust road. The first three riders on the summit pocket time bonuses of 8, 5 and 2 seconds.

The finale is played out on the Col des Fleuries, which is a climb at shallow gradients – 5.5 kilometres at 4.6% – before the last 10 kilometres rund downhill into La Roche-sur-Foron.