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Friday July 19th 2024: Embrun - Isola 2000 (144.6 km)

Almost 4,500 meters of elevation gain, 2 hors-category climbs, and 1 first-category climb, all in 'just' 145 KM. An enormous challenge awaits the riders on this final Friday of the Tour de France 2024. From Embrun, the first 20 KM are slightly up and down; then the spectacle begins with the Col de Vars. This Col de Vars is 18.8 KM at 5.7%, although this average gradient is somewhat distorted by a fairly flat section of 4 KM in the middle part of the climb. The first 5 KM, for example, climb at an average of 8%, and in the second part, the percentages often exceed 8%. A good warm-up for the Cime de la Bonette, a monsterous climb of 22.9 KM at 6.9%, which starts after 20 KM descending from the Vars in Jausiers. The Bonette is a beautiful climb with stunning views and many hairpins and only gets really steep in the last KM.

However, the length of the climb and the altitude will certainly have impact. The riders climb to the highest point of the Tour; the top of the Bonette at 2,802 meters is as well the highest passable road in Europe. There is no time to enjoy the views: after a long descent of about 40 KM, the final climb of the day awaits: Isola 2000. The top of this climb, located near the Italian border, is reached after 16.1 KM of climbing at an average of 7.1%. The first 8 KM of this climb are the toughest; they climb at an average of 8.4%. After that, it gets a bit easier, although the last kick to the finish is still quite steep. Given the limited distance of this stage, the continuous altitude, and the many climbs, we expect some fireworks here. Failed climbers and GC contenders who want to save their final GC and those still high in the classification: everyone will have to give his all!

📺Eurosport 1, NOS, Sporza
⏰12.20 u
🏁16.45 u
⛅️Cloudy, light wind, 22 degrees