This will surely be the defining stage of the Tour’s first week, and one we’ll all remember, for its beauty as much as its difficulty. We finish on la Planche des Belles Filles, which this year features an extra section with a 24% gradient. But… lets not get ahead of ourselves… before that we must tackle (and admire panoramic views from) the Markstein, the Grand Ballon, the Col du Hundsruck, the mighty Ballon d’Alsace (the first official mountain climb to feature in the Tour de France, back in 1905), and the Col des Chevreres which is short but very sharp.
The roads are quiet and rural which will help us enjoy what amounts to over 4000m of climbing. It’s a tough, gem of a stage with all the ingredients (including some defining manoeuvres from the pro peloton) to make it a tour highlight.
