Stage 14 Preview

Stage 14
Start: Revel
End: Ax 3 Domaines
Length: 184.5 km
Difficulty Profile (1-10): 8.5
After a few semi-tricky transition stages, it is time for the Tour to move into the brutal Pyrenees Mountains. The beginning of the stage is mostly flat, but the field will be decimated once the race hits the monster Port de Pailheres. This HC ranked climb may be even tougher than the any of the climbs hit while the Tour passed through the Alps, and it may decide the outcome of the Tour. This is the type of climb that both Contador and Schleck love, so we may see another showdown between the two just like the final day in the Alps. This climb will also drop any rider who is not in good form, so expect places 3-20 in the GC to also be swapped around a bit. After the field passes the tricky descent of the Pailheres, there is one more steep climb to go before they hit the finish line. This is truly a punishing stage, and should be one of the most entertaining of the entire Tour.