On the French national holiday of Quatorze Juillet the race enters the Jura mountains for a summit finish on the fearsome Grand Colombier (17.4km at 7.1%) where the then defending champion Egan Bernal cracked in 2020.
The sport’s landscape has changed dramatically since Bernal last rode the Tour, with Tadej Pogacar, Primoz Roglic and Jonas Vingegaard dominating the battle for yellow ever since.
Still somewhat short of his best, Bernal will hope at least to bury his demons on what will be the first GC showdown of the second week.
Ad What the Grand Colombier lacks in altitude (it’s only 1,501m high) it makes up in Galibier-level difficulty, 12% ramps, and wondrous views if the weather is playing ball.
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