- Tarbes > Tourmalet Barèges
- Date: 07/20/2019
- Distance: 117.5 km
- Type: Mountain
On Stage 14, riders will tackle the Col du Tourmalet en route to their first high-altitude summit finish of the Tour. With a category 1 climb lurking in the middle of the day, and without any dicey descending off the top to even things out before the finish, this stage will be a true showcase for the world’s best climbers. This stage will also be pivotal in both the yellow and polka-dot jersey competitions.
The iconic hors-categorie climb is one of the most-visted in the Tour’s history; its last appearance was as recent as 2018. It was on the Col du Tourmalet that Julian Allaphillipe (Quickstep Floors) clinched the polka-dot climber’s jersey in last year’s Tour—but given that racers still have to contend with a week of hard racing after this year’s visit, the Tourmalet is unlikely to play such a deciding role again.
Still, you’ll want to tune in for sweeping shots of the Pyrenees—and to watch the climbers turn themselves absolutely inside out. It won’t just be those gunning for jerseys in Paris; out-of-contention riders will also be in the hunt for a career-defining win on this historic mountain pass.
