While all the stages of this 105th Tour de France start and finish in France, stage 16 takes the peloton onto Spanish soil – albeit for 22 kilometres – while the race tackles the Col du Portillon, before what will be a thrilling 10km descent down to the finish back in France in Bagnères-de-Luchon.
Tour director Christian Prudhomme and right-hand man Thierry Gouvenou do like a downhill finish on their Tour routes, and in 2016 defending champion Chris Froome took advantage of the descent into Bagnères-de-Luchon from the Col de Peyresourde to win stage 8 and take the race lead, which he held the rest of the way to Paris, for what was at the time his third Tour victory.
The descent from the Col du Portillon is a very technical one, and comes after the difficult descents of the Col de Portet d'Aspet, where Fabio Casartelli crashed and died in 1994, and the Col de Menté, where Luis Ocaña's crashed while in the yellow jersey in 1971.
None of these climbs are considered to be in the 'high mountains', as they don't even top 1,400 metres above sea level, but their difficulty comes from the length of the stage – 218km – combined with the after-effects of the second rest day in Carcassonne. Add to that the fatigue of 15 stages in the legs and the reduction of the size of teams this year to eight riders, and it's easy to imagine how the race is now beginning to take its toll.
-
Netcompany Ineos say 'nothing has changed' in Egan Bernal's GC hunt at Giro d'Italia despite several setbacks in opening week
'Of course, we can't hide the gap, this is clear, but we have to keep our belief high' says DS Basso with Colombian 15th overall, 6:18 off the lead -
'Jai is a bit older, maybe also a bit wiser' – Red Bull try to maintain balance between former winner Hindley and unrestricted home star Pellizzari at Giro d'Italia
DS Pömer says stopping Italian from trying to follow Vingegaard on Blockhaus 'would have been a moment he would regret his entire life' -
'Tactically, he did it really well' - Jayco-AlUla cautiously optimistic for Ben O'Connor in Giro d'Italia after sound strategic performance on Blockhaus
Australian just 1:15 down on Jonas Vingegaard and seventh overall after first major summit finish -
Lorena Wiebes overcomes late flat tyre to win Simac Omloop der Kempen Ladies
Dutch Champion holds off Charlotte Kool and Sandrine Tas in bunch sprint as breakaway's hopes dashed in final kilometre
