TDF 2021: Stage 18, Pau > Luz Ardiden 129.7 km **Spoilers**

in Pro race
Stage 18, Pau > Luz Ardiden Length 129.7 km
15-7-2021Start 12-35pm
Stage 18, the final mountain stage of this year’s Tour de France is arguably one of the hardest days in the race, with two massive Pyrenean climbs – the Col du Tourmalet and a blockbuster finish at the top of Luz Ardiden. At 130 kilometres, the last mountain stage of the Tour de France is a relatively short one. Most uphill action is clustered inside the last 50 kilometres. The stage begins in the city that from 1930 has hosted either a start or finish on most editions: Pau

There are two small fourth category ascents in the first 54 kilometres of racing as they move in a South Easterly direction. From intermediate sprint at Pouzac, the road starts to head gentle uphill, through Bagnères-de-Bigorre, Campan and Saint-Marie-de-Campan, to the slopes of the Col du Tourmalet. The riders fly down into Luz-Saint-Sauveur to tackle the last climb of the Tour de France. The ascent into Luz-Ardiden.

The Climbs:
The Tourmalet on this side, the climb adds up to 17.1 kilometres, while the average gradient sits at 7.3%.


The second straight HC-category climb of the day to the summit of Luz Ardiden. The climb is 13.3 kilometres in length, and while the opening few hundred metres are relatively easy the climb ramps up drastically after the first kilometre.


Final Kilometres

While the stage is an open invitation to mountain goats to plan a long range attack and although in reality we probably know the answer, obviously, the key question will be: are the climbers capable to distance the better time trialists such as Pogacar and Vingegaard?
Perhaps then, this stage could be one for someone not threatening the GC, but on his day can climb like the said goat.
Favourites stage 18 Tour de France 2021
***** Tadej Pogacar
**** Richard Carapaz, Jonas Vingegaard
*** Wilco Kelderman, David Gaudu, Ben O'Connor
** Nairo Quintana, Rigoberto Urán, Esteban Chaves
* Bauke Mollema, Eric Mas, Sergio Higuita, Wout Poels, Michael Woods
Pau
Stage town for the 73rd time
Population: 77,600
There's not much to say about Pau that hasn't already been said in other editions, so I won't.
On the Road
Km 0:
Jurançon (Pop: 7,100)
Jurançon is world famous for its white wines (a dry AOC in 1975 and a sweet AOC since 1936), The main grape varieties of the appellation are Petit and Gros Manseng. These wines can be discovered at the Maison du Jurançon and at the Cave du Jurançon, located in Gan.


Km 64 :
Bagnères-de-Bigorre (Pop: 7,970)
Bred in the traditional way in the undergrowth and meadows of the Bigorre area, black Noir de Bigorre pigs feed on grass, cereals, acorns and chestnuts, producing a finely-marbled pork with bags of flavour. The unique taste can also be found in its cured ham, the Noir de Bigorre, which is renowned for its soft, melt-in-the-mouth consistency.

Barèges-Gavarnie AOC sheep
Bred in the canton of Luz-Saint-Sauveur on the high slopes of the Pyrenees mountains, Barèges-Gavarnie sheep were awarded the AOC quality label in 2003. This Barégeoise breed of sheep is renowned for its high-quality, finely-marbled and flavoursome meat.


Luz Ardiden
Population: 970
The finishes in the Pyrenean resort regularly give rise to some memorable moments of bravery and excitement. In 1985, it was during the stage between Toulouse and Luz-Ardiden that the first act of the rivalry between Bernard Hinault and Greg LeMond was played out. In 1990 it was Claudio Chiappucci who had a few setbacks, also wearing the Yellow Jersey. Four years later, it was in Luz-Ardiden that Richard Virenque's mountain destiny began, with a first stage victory.
During the last visit by the Tour in 2011, Samuel Sanchez won the stage before taking the polka-dot jersey in this edition, while Thomas Voeckler, who had hit a car on the descent of the Hourquette d'Ancizan, nevertheless managed to keep his Yellow Jersey.

"Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
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Posts
@DrHeadgear
The Vikings are coming!
Edit - if I were him I would - should never turn down a jersey when presented. He's got enough buffer.
Real mistake. 2/3rds of the way up we all were bonking. Turned back down to the final cornershoppy place and I remember we walked in like zombies and just started eating stuff straight off the shelf. It was like i could feel the sugar coursing through my veins, all the way to ends of my fingers and toes.
Eventually the guy carrying the kitty shuffled over to the counter and just asked how much it all was.
The top is really disappointing. Just a big carpark. I was sold a stunning view but it was all in cloud.
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2011 Specialized Hardrock Sport Disc (son #3s)
2013 Decathlon Triban 3 (red) (mine)
2019 Hoy Bonaly 26" Disc (son #2s)
2018 Voodoo Bizango (mine)
2018 Voodoo Maji (wife's)
More interested in making sure that I got down again and up the valley to my hotel before it went dark because I'd taken the decision to fly to toulouse, drive to the pyrenees and then set off for my first climb at 6:30pm. In retrospect, turning it into a 50km ride with Luz Ardiden in the middle was possibly a little bit unwise.
The last few km of the climb are stunning, and because of the above, I did it in blissful solitude. No cars, no bikes, nobody else daft enough.
2011 Specialized Hardrock Sport Disc (son #3s)
2013 Decathlon Triban 3 (red) (mine)
2019 Hoy Bonaly 26" Disc (son #2s)
2018 Voodoo Bizango (mine)
2018 Voodoo Maji (wife's)
Back in the day your pure climber would lose so much time over the TTs they would be allowed down the road to bag all the mountain points.
Now, if you are a pure climber you are by definition a GC contender.
Luz Ardiden is equally fugly and stunning as can be seen below. That said, it was my favourite climb of the tour. Fun descent too.
*It will be vastly different for those racing.
I am not sure. You have no chance.
The obviously wanted to keep it short and punchy. I would have much preferred a stage start further East and closer to the Aspin for the extra climb.
I am not sure. You have no chance.
I guess it'd be hard to win the green jersey if you didn't at least compete in the end of stage sprints.
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On the descent, they had marshals posted on every corner blowing whistles, so you could hear where the corner was, as you couldn't see it!
At the bottom in the town (sorry don't know the name) the main square was full of hundreds of riders wrapped in foil blankets suffering from hypothermia. Me and my ride buddies went to a café to warm up and have coffee as we were shaking uncontrollably.
The course ended with a mountain top finish at Hautacam.
then had to cycle back down the way we came to actually get to the the pasta party place etc.
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@DrHeadgear
The Vikings are coming!
Course design with only one uphill mountain finish and that was not a proper one in the first half of the race. Backloading the points into the third week not one can get a head start big enough
Also I think this year it's because uae can't control [or be bothered to control] flat stages or run ins. The time gap is big enough.
Lastly and this is the most annoying reason is the competition has been competitive. Different riders (4 roughly) are snatching up the big points off each other diluting the chance one of them has the accumulation to hold off a late surge by pogacar on the most scorey-est days . Which is annoying as it was a genuine contest that will be brushed aside if pog gets big points today and the other Kom guys are stull behind down the hill ...
Hard to get in the break on a short stage like s18 and stay away to get a good haul of points
I am not sure. You have no chance.
Is reachable from here.
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