Briançon to Alpe d’Huez

Stage 12 / Thursday, July 14th

The best way to follow the hardest stage of the tour so far is to have riders tackle an even harder course! Stage 12, the last day in the high Alps, features three HC climbs culminating in a climb up the famous 21 hairpin turns of the Alpe d'Huez. Starting in Briançon, riders will start the day heading northwest and climb the Galibier in reverse from the previous stage. The descent turns north to Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne before starting the HC 29 km climb of the Col de la Croix de Fer. At 5.2% grade, the climb is not overly steep but features quite a bit of undulation, with sustained sections in the last 5km over 7.1%. There is no respite for the riders as the descent of Col de la Croix de Fer features two uphill sections before leveling out for 12 km before Alpe d'Huez. Arguably the most iconic climbs in the Tour de France, Alpe d'Huez features 21 hairpin turns as it traverses the mountain to the finish. Many amateur riders will be very familiar with this route as it was recreated in great detail by the training platform Zwift and is a popular route in the game. While much shorter than the Col de la Croix de Fer, Alpe d'Huez is significantly steeper throughout the climb. The climb starts with a 10% grade for the first two km and stays relatively consistent throughout. The steepest portion of 11.5% comes 9 km into the climb, after the village of Huez. After 11 km the grade drops to 5% before rising right before the finish line.

Weather Forecast

While the wind most likely won't play much of a factor, temperatures on Stage 12 will be higher, rising to the low 30 celsius (mid 80s Fahrenheit). When riders are going uphill at slower speeds, these high temps will start to impact energy expenditure as the body continues to attempt to cool itself. Many of the GC contenders have trained in these exact conditions on Alpe d'Huez leading up to the stage, so don't expect the pointy end of the field to have extreme issues. Riders, like sprint leaders, struggling to make the time cut-off, on the other hand, could face even more difficulties on the stage.

Stage Analysis

Stage 11 did not disappoint! No team was able to isolate Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates) leading into the final climb up the Col du Granon. Instead, Jonas Vingegaard (Jumbo-Visma) made the move of the day on the steepest 10% gradient to gap the Yellow Jersey. The superior tactics of Jumbo Visma and the team's strength finally cracked Pogacar. Vingegaard went from 39 seconds down to leading the tour by over two and a half minutes. He also secured his first stage win at the Tour, besting all on the final climb. Nairo Quintana and French rider Romain Bardet (Team DSM) also made the most of the day, moving up 7 and 5 places respectively in the overall standings. Bardet moved to 2nd overall, but all riders lost time to the new Yellow Jersey, Vingegaard. On Bastille Day, expect French riders to be extra motivated to take the stage win up Alpe d'Huez. Vingegaard, Thomas, and Pogacar have other plans and will want the iconic win. With the GC battle in full force, it will be almost impossible to beat the Yellow Jersey on the stage. Now comes the biggest test of the young career of Tadej Pogacar. How will he respond to losing the Yellow Jersey? Whatever the answer, Stage 12 will be a must watch!