The transition days are over in the second week of Tour de France. The big thermometer of the race will come between this Saturday and this Sunday with two giant mountain stages: the Pyrenees to measure who is the strongest man in the race.
In the cruel toll of Friday’s casualties were Primoz Roglic and Juan Ayusoretired, Tadej Pogacar coming into a key weekend with a 1:06 lead Remco Evenepoel and with 1:14 about Jonas Vingegaard. It seems that no one else can compete for the overall victory, although this will be the road that will put everyone in their place.
He will do it this Saturday in stage style, the fourteenth of the race. is waiting 151.9 kilometers between Pau and Saint-Lary-Soulan, Pla d’Adet, with a high ending in a day of colossi. Sunday will not be a quiet day either, with 197.7 kilometers between Loudenvielle and the high finish on the Plateau de Beille after four previous firsts.
The first port of the series, the most feared this Saturday, is the Tourmaletwith a very difficult climb of 19 kilometers at an average of 7.4%, with ramps of more than 9% in the last three kilometers to put a good wear on the legs of the runners.
The men in the general classification cannot be disappointed at that point because, then, they expect two more difficult climbs. Ancizana second of 8.2 kilometers at 5.1%, will start at kilometer 115 of the stage, with ramps of more than 6% on most of the climbs, it will be a priori the least demanding of the day.
Then, as a conclusion, the climb to Saint-Lary-Soulan Pla d’Adet, from 10.6 kilometers to an average of 7.9%. It will be a special category port with a very difficult start, with ramps of more than 9% in the first three kilometers. Only between the seventh and ninth will offer a short break for the runners.
This is a day marked for favorites. Pogacar He assured in the preview that he will not do crazy things and that he will use his energy, that he will play to his advantage in Evenepoel and with Vingegaard. The Dane showed Le Lioran that he is ready for the fight. What’s more when two matches await at the weekend which are no ordinary matches: They aim to be worth their weight in gold at the Tour resolution.
Source: La Verdad
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