TDF 2023: Stage 14:- Annemasse to Morzine, 152km ***Spoilers***

Stage 14:- Annemasse to Morzine, 152km

Saturday, July 15
Start Time: 12-05pmBST.

The 14th stage heads into the Alps with 5 classified climbs and an elevation gain of almost 4,300 metres. It sets off from Annemasse to finish 151.8 kilometres later in Morzine. After a series of lesser (though not insignificant) climbs, the riders face two huge climbs inside the last 65 kilometres - Col de la Ramaz and Col de Joux Plane - precede a finale on descent.



The last Tour de France stage finish in Morzine happened seven editions ago, when Ion Izagirre took the spoils. The finale is a carbon copy of seven years ago. In fact, the last 65 kilometres are the same. It will be the 16th time that the Tour de France finishes in Morzine. The winner not only succeeds Izagirre, but also Pantani (1997), Virenque (2000, 2003) and Sastre (2006).



The Climbs.





The Col de la Ramaz is 13.9kms long at an average of 7.1%



The Joux Plane is a 11.6 kilometres climb at 8.5% peaks out at 1,691 metres. The summit of the de Joux Plane is not the start of the downhill finale.



Final Kms.

The riders stay at altitude for a couple of kilometres – first false flat down, then false flat up – before the descent is extremely technical and difficult. The last few hundred metres in Morzine climb at 3% to the line, which could be important in a sprint.





What to Expect:

All “cols” are below 1700 metres, but the succession of steep sections on the almost 152 kilometres of this stage has the potential to shake up the overall classification. This stage is also key in the battle for the polka dot jersey, so those with "intent" should feature prominently during the stage.

Annemasse

Stage town for the second time
Population: 37,500. 193,000 inhabitants in the agglomeration.

Annemasse is a city in the Haute-Savoie region of France, directly across the border from Geneva, Switzerland. Many people working in Geneva live here and travel to Geneva daily.

ANNEMASSE AND CYCLING

The Tour de France has only stopped in Annemasse once, in 2003, for the start of a stage won in Lons-le-Saulnier by Juan Miguel Mercado. The Swiss border town has hosted the Critérium du Dauphiné on six occasions, the last one in 2008 when Cyril Dessel won. The Tour de l'Avenir has also visited the city four times. Annemasse is the birthplace of a number of talented riders, starting with Jérôme Coppel, the French time trial champion in 2015, who took part in six Tours de France between 2009 and 2016, finishing in 13th in 2011. It is also the home of the Paret-Peintre brothers, Aurélien and Valentin.

Gastronomy.

Perch fillets
The proximity of Geneva and the lake encourages restaurant owners in Annemasse to offer one of the emblematic dishes of Lake Geneva (and of Swiss lakes), the perch fillet. Perch, char or trout are also common fish in the lake on the menu of fish shops. To be enjoyed in a meunière sauce with a glass of chignin-bergeron.



La longeole: a supreme sausage

It is made with gelatinous pork and flavoured with a spice mixture containing fennel seeds. This monumental sausage must be simmered for three hours before being served – traditionally with boiled potatoes and lentils. It is especially popular during the colder months.



Morzine

Stage town for the 22nd time.
Population : 2,870

Morzine a traditional market town in the heart of the Portes du Soleil, Morzine is dominated by chalets spread across a river gorge, bordered by partially wooded slopes allowing skiing in poor weather conditions. Situated at an altitude of 1000 m, it is one of the most northerly of the French Alpine resorts, and weatherwise benefits from the Mont Blanc microclimate.
Partially forested slopes have summer trails and bike lifts. The Col de la Joux Verte pass climbs from Morzine to the higher-altitude resort of Avoriaz, near the Hauts-Forts mountain.



MORZINE AND CYCLING

The Tour discovered Morzine in 1975, with stage winners including Marco Pantani and Richard Virenque. But the place also brings back excellent memories for Colombians. In 1982, Luis Herrera had shown the way by winning a stage of the Tour de l'Avenir. Three years later, it was in Avoriaz that Lucho won the Tour de France, and the following day, his compatriot Fabio Parra offered his country a unique double victory by winning in Lans-en-Vercors at the end of a stage that started in Morzine. Inspired by the location, Parra triumphed there three years later in a solo race to become the first Colombian to finish on the Tour podium. In 2012, Nairo Quintana also won one of his first prestigious victories in the Critérium du Dauphiné in Morzine. For the sake of completeness, Santiago Botero's stage win in the 2005 Dauphiné should be added to this list.

Gastronomy.

Croziflette

La Croziflette is related to La Tartiflette. Croziflette is among the traditional French recipes from the mountainous Savoy region of France, a hearty alpine indulgence that is a favorite in the long winter months. It is a French pasta bake with local crozets, bacon and powerful reblochon cheese.








"Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
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Comments

  • tailwindhome
    tailwindhome Posts: 19,310

    “New York has the haircuts, London has the trousers, but Belfast has the reason!
  • feelgoodlost
    feelgoodlost Posts: 330
    Did this route a few weeks ago. Absolutely stunning. The tunnelled section on Ramaz is a ball breaker but eases up after that. Would love to see Pidcock breakaway at the top of Joux Plane and give a demonstration on the descent. It's knarly as!
  • DeVlaeminck
    DeVlaeminck Posts: 8,989
    Interested to see how the big 2 play this. If Vingegaard thinks he's better over harder stages then this looks like one they'll target.

    Will they try and make it as hard as possible, risk burning off their team to launch Ving on the final climb ?

    Will either team try and put a man in the break ?

    This one just feels like a stage where we might see a race winning time gap - being bold could win...or lose the race. Despite leading it feels there's a bit more pressure in Vingegaard to show his superiority here.
    [Castle Donington Ladies FC - going up in '22]
  • ridgerider
    ridgerider Posts: 2,852
    edited July 2023
    Not forgetting these two words...Floyd and Landis.

    (Just looked it up to check...120km solo breakaway. Eat your shorts Pog and JV!)

    Been to this area a few times and ticked off a few of the climbs. MTB heaven in the summer.

    Half man, Half bike
  • No_Ta_Doctor
    No_Ta_Doctor Posts: 14,484

    Interested to see how the big 2 play this. If Vingegaard thinks he's better over harder stages then this looks like one they'll target.

    Will they try and make it as hard as possible, risk burning off their team to launch Ving on the final climb ?

    Will either team try and put a man in the break ?

    This one just feels like a stage where we might see a race winning time gap - being bold could win...or lose the race. Despite leading it feels there's a bit more pressure in Vingegaard to show his superiority here.

    These are the stages Vingegaard has been waiting for, so hopefully he's got the legs to try something. I amigine they'll try and get a rider in the break to help out on the descent of Joux Plane if possible, but that might mean the start gets really manic, as UAE won't just let them send Wout up the road
    Warning No formatter is installed for the format
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,238
    edited July 2023
    The first time I ever saw the Tour live was in Morzine in 1988. Fabio Parra won. There was a women's race too, which Jeannie Longo won
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 42,980

    Interested to see how the big 2 play this. If Vingegaard thinks he's better over harder stages then this looks like one they'll target.

    Will they try and make it as hard as possible, risk burning off their team to launch Ving on the final climb ?

    Will either team try and put a man in the break ?

    This one just feels like a stage where we might see a race winning time gap - being bold could win...or lose the race. Despite leading it feels there's a bit more pressure in Vingegaard to show his superiority here.

    The person I know who is riding the race route a few days ahead described this as probably the decisive stage.
  • mididoctors
    mididoctors Posts: 18,692
    Cringe bus ...off to itv
    "If I was a 38 year old man, I definitely wouldn't be riding a bright yellow bike with Hello Kitty disc wheels, put it that way. What we're witnessing here is the world's most high profile mid-life crisis" Afx237vi Mon Jul 20, 2009 2:43 pm
  • dabber
    dabber Posts: 1,970

    Cringe bus ...off to itv

    Me too.
    “You may think that; I couldn’t possibly comment!”

    Wilier Cento Uno SR/Wilier Mortirolo/Specialized Roubaix Comp/Kona Hei Hei/Calibre Bossnut
  • N0bodyOfTheGoat
    N0bodyOfTheGoat Posts: 6,022
    ITV4 live starting nice and early today, on now. :)
    ================
    2020 Voodoo Marasa
    2017 Cube Attain GTC Pro Disc 2016
    2016 Voodoo Wazoo
  • DeVlaeminck
    DeVlaeminck Posts: 8,989
    Don't like the sound of Adam Hansen has been negotiating with the uci about the final descent.
    [Castle Donington Ladies FC - going up in '22]
  • DeVlaeminck
    DeVlaeminck Posts: 8,989

    Don't like the sound of Adam Hansen has been negotiating with the uci about the final descent.

    Sounds like signs, catch nets and surface been repaired so sensible measures. Acoustic warnings too - interesting.
    [Castle Donington Ladies FC - going up in '22]
  • blazing_saddles
    blazing_saddles Posts: 22,663

    Don't like the sound of Adam Hansen has been negotiating with the uci about the final descent.

    It’s as if rain is something that only happened in the last couple of years.
    Safety is obviously important but the measures they are taking today really devalue bike handling skills.
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • blazing_saddles
    blazing_saddles Posts: 22,663

    Don't like the sound of Adam Hansen has been negotiating with the uci about the final descent.

    Sounds like signs, catch nets and surface been repaired so sensible measures. Acoustic warnings too - interesting.
    Catch nets are good.
    Not sure about the early acoustic warning system.
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • mididoctors
    mididoctors Posts: 18,692

    Don't like the sound of Adam Hansen has been negotiating with the uci about the final descent.

    Sounds like signs, catch nets and surface been repaired so sensible measures. Acoustic warnings too - interesting.
    Catch nets are good.
    Not sure about the early acoustic warning system.
    All this needs sorting out 3 months before the race not on the race
    "If I was a 38 year old man, I definitely wouldn't be riding a bright yellow bike with Hello Kitty disc wheels, put it that way. What we're witnessing here is the world's most high profile mid-life crisis" Afx237vi Mon Jul 20, 2009 2:43 pm
  • mididoctors
    mididoctors Posts: 18,692
    Prudhomme is the best race director of theu tour
    "If I was a 38 year old man, I definitely wouldn't be riding a bright yellow bike with Hello Kitty disc wheels, put it that way. What we're witnessing here is the world's most high profile mid-life crisis" Afx237vi Mon Jul 20, 2009 2:43 pm
  • mididoctors
    mididoctors Posts: 18,692
    Accoustic earnings might be distracting
    "If I was a 38 year old man, I definitely wouldn't be riding a bright yellow bike with Hello Kitty disc wheels, put it that way. What we're witnessing here is the world's most high profile mid-life crisis" Afx237vi Mon Jul 20, 2009 2:43 pm
  • blazing_saddles
    blazing_saddles Posts: 22,663
    Massive crash
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • mididoctors
    mididoctors Posts: 18,692
    Crash .....attack now
    "If I was a 38 year old man, I definitely wouldn't be riding a bright yellow bike with Hello Kitty disc wheels, put it that way. What we're witnessing here is the world's most high profile mid-life crisis" Afx237vi Mon Jul 20, 2009 2:43 pm
  • mididoctors
    mididoctors Posts: 18,692
    What a bowl.of spaghetti crash
    "If I was a 38 year old man, I definitely wouldn't be riding a bright yellow bike with Hello Kitty disc wheels, put it that way. What we're witnessing here is the world's most high profile mid-life crisis" Afx237vi Mon Jul 20, 2009 2:43 pm
  • blazing_saddles
    blazing_saddles Posts: 22,663
    Race neutralized
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • No_Ta_Doctor
    No_Ta_Doctor Posts: 14,484
    Martinez looking groggy there

    Race stopped
    Warning No formatter is installed for the format
  • mididoctors
    mididoctors Posts: 18,692
    Neutralised FFS ........lol
    "If I was a 38 year old man, I definitely wouldn't be riding a bright yellow bike with Hello Kitty disc wheels, put it that way. What we're witnessing here is the world's most high profile mid-life crisis" Afx237vi Mon Jul 20, 2009 2:43 pm
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 42,980
    Biggest one of the Tour so far and a bit of an odd place.
  • mididoctors
    mididoctors Posts: 18,692
    Meintjes looks buggered
    "If I was a 38 year old man, I definitely wouldn't be riding a bright yellow bike with Hello Kitty disc wheels, put it that way. What we're witnessing here is the world's most high profile mid-life crisis" Afx237vi Mon Jul 20, 2009 2:43 pm
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 42,980
    Unusual to neutralise.
  • blazing_saddles
    blazing_saddles Posts: 22,663
    Pedrero definitely out
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • N0bodyOfTheGoat
    N0bodyOfTheGoat Posts: 6,022
    Wow, yet to see how that pileup happened!
    ================
    2020 Voodoo Marasa
    2017 Cube Attain GTC Pro Disc 2016
    2016 Voodoo Wazoo
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 42,980
    Movistar rider looks like he’ll be out and Wanty rider with a really bad gash on his leg.
  • mididoctors
    mididoctors Posts: 18,692
    Wet roads
    "If I was a 38 year old man, I definitely wouldn't be riding a bright yellow bike with Hello Kitty disc wheels, put it that way. What we're witnessing here is the world's most high profile mid-life crisis" Afx237vi Mon Jul 20, 2009 2:43 pm