Tour de France Magazine 2019 | Page 129

T T H H E E S R T O A U G T E E S STAGE 18 EMBRUN > VALLOIRE Thursday 25 July • 208km • Mountains ASSEMBLY 11:05 at Plan d’eau d’Embrun NEUTRAL START 11:10 at Avenue des Acacias ACTUAL START 11:25 at N94, 8.8km from assembly point Neutral start Actual start 09:10 09:25 09:34 11:10 11:25 11:33 Cat. 3 09:49 11:47 09:54 11:53 10:06 10:15 10:38 10:47 11:02 11:12 11:28 11:54 12:04 12:12 12:34 12:43 12:57 13:06 13:22 13:45 HC /Bonus 11:58 12:20 12:24 12:28 12:55 13:20 13:27 13:37 13:48 13:57 14:03 14:14 14:35 14:55 15:16 15:19 13:49 14:10 14:14 14:17 14:43 15:05 15:12 15:22 15:32 15:40 15:46 15:57 16:15 16:34 16:53 16:56 Arrival 15:29 15:36 15:39 15:41 17:05 17:13 17:15 17:17 6 13 25,5 17,5 31 122,5 133 142 152 166 115 130,5 160 HC Cat. 1 45 59,5 74 85,5 101 50,5 65 82,5 91,5 Alpine battleground: In 1972 Eddy Merckx won the stage into Valloire, his fifth of what would be six stage wins that year, and cemented his hold on the yellow jersey. Sprint Peloton HAUTES-ALPES (05) VC Embrun (Vc-D994 D) 208 0 N94 Embrun 202 6 Savines-le-Lac (N94-D954) ALPES-DE-HAUTE-PROVENCE (04) 195 13 Côte des Demoiselles Coiffées HAUTES-ALPES (05) 190.5 17.5 Le Sauze-du-Lac ALPES-DE-HAUTE-PROVENCE (04) 182.5 25.5 Tunnel de La Roche 177 31 D900 Le Lauzet-Ubaye 163 45 Les Thuiles 157.5 50.5 Barcelonnette (D900-VC-D900) 148.5 59.5 Jausiers 143 65 La Condamine-Châtelard 134 74 D902 Saint-Paul-sur-Ubaye 125.5 82.5 Col de Vars (2 109 m) HAUTES-ALPES (05) 122.5 85.5 Vars-Les Claux 107 101 Guillestre (D902-D902 A-D902) 103.5 104.5 Vallée du Guil 101 107 La Maison du Roy 85.5 122.5 Arvieux 77.5 130.5 La Casse Déserte 75 133 Col d'Izoard (2 360 m) 66 142 Cervières 56 152 Briançon (D902-Vc-N94-D1091) 51.5 156.5 D1091 Saint-Chaffrey (près) 48 160 La Salle-les-Alpes 42 166 Le Monêtier-les-Bains 34.5 173.5 Le Pont de l'Alp 27.5 180.5 Col du Lautaret (D1091-D902) 20 188 D902 Stèle Henri Desgrange 19 189 Col du Galibier (2 642 m) SAVOIE (73) 10.5 197.5 Plan Lachat 4 204 Les Verneys 2 206 La Borgé 0 208 VC Valloire Caravan Completed On paper, this stage undoubtedly promises quite a high-altitude battle: the Vars rises to 2 109m, the Izoard to 2 360m and the Galibier to 2 642m. How will the riders tackle this exceptional test? It’s impossible to guess... But we do know that at this altitude, tired bodies can capitulate at any instant. Between Embrun and the climb to Val Thorens, 48 hours later, it will be a race of attrition between the best riders on this Tour. However, I hope we’ll witness some incredible moments. This stage extends to 208km and absolutely anything could happen on those high Alpine slopes. TIMETABLE To ride A MOUNTAINOUS CRESCENDO KILOMETRES 189 180,5 197,5 |SAVOIE FINISH LINE Avenue de la Vallée d’Or, at the end of a final straight of 220m in sight. Width: 5.5m. 2 0 1 9 TO U R D E FR ANCE | 129