Our final day in the mountains, and we’ll be making the most of it with what Prudhomme has described as “the frightening Aspin-Tourmalet-Bordères-Soulor-Aubisque sequence”. The high point of this stage comes roughly halfway, at the top of the Tourmalet (one for all col baggers: it’s the most climbed mountain in Tour history), but the real struggle will take place in the final third, with an ascent of the picturesque but little-known Col des Bordères en route to the fiercesome Col du Soulor. This is then followed by the vertiginous balcony road of the Cirque du Litor, and finally the magnificent Aubisque. Whilst being a mighty test for pros and Le Loopers alike, the Aubisque really is one of the most exceptionally beautiful climbs: a spectacular way to say goodbye to the Pyrenees.
