The riders clip into their pedals in Aurillac. The small town on the River Jordanne was included fourteen times in the Tour de france. The last visis dates from 2011, when the 10th stage went Aurillac to Jussac, where André Greipel took the spoils.
Sprinters are expected to suffer in the first 90 kilometres of the race, as there are several climbs to conquer. The Côte de Saint-Mamet-la-Salve is crested as early as kilometre 11 after an uphill of 3.6 kilometres at 3.9%. Following an undulating section and a 10 kilometres downhill the riders move through Saint-Céré, only to go up again. The Côte de Saint-Médard-de-Presque is 4.2 kilometres long and averaging 5.3%.
The Côte de Rocamadour (2.1 kilometres at 5.5%) and Côte de Couzou (1.7 kilometres at 6.3%) – both featured in the opposite direction in the ITT on the penultimate day of the 2022 Tour – are the last two climb inside the first 90 kilometres. The route is far from flat in the remainder, but the toughest uphill sections are done.
An uphill section of 2 kilometres at 3% inside the last 10 kilometres could make or break a late attack (from the breakaway) before a false flat downhill leads onto the final 5 kilometres on the flat.
Erik Dekker is the last Tour de France stage winner in Villeneuve-Sur-Lot. In 2000, the Dutchman arrived solo to win the first of four stages on Le Tour.
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