Cazères-sur-Garonne is the train station near Cazères. It will be the first ever visit of the Tour de France. The first 40 kilometer are relatively flat. Climbing at shallow gradients, the race moves through Salies-du-Salat and Aspet before the riders arrive in Pont de l’Oile after 48 kilometres. Although the Col de Menté is underway for quite a while, it is here that the ascent really kicks in with a 15.5% ramp to continue with a slope hovering around 8%.
From foot the top, the Menté is 18 kilometres long, while the average gradient sits at 4.6%, mainly because of the first part at gradients of approximately 3%.
Up next is the Port de Balès. Effectively, the road begins to slope at kilometres 80, but this is merely a false flat. The climb starst to show its teeth at kilometre 95 and continues to do so for 11.7 kilometres until the riders reach the top. The average gradient on the Port de Balès is 7.7%.
The last climb of the, Col de Peyresourde, is an old acquaintance of the Tour de France. The ascent, which features in the race since 1910, is accessible from different sides. On the 4th of July the riders climb the Peyersourde from Saint-Aventin to the top at an elevation of 1,569 metres. This way, the climb is 9.7 kilometres long while the average gradient sits at 7.8%, peaking out to double digits at times. The first three riders over the Peyesourde gain time bonuses of 8, 5 and 2 seconds.
The 8th stage on the Tour concludes with a drop of 8 kilometres into Loudenville before the last kilometre is virtually flat.
Tour de France 2020 stage 8: profiles, social media
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