The Col du Tourmalet awaits riders on Stage 8 of the Tour de France. And maybe llamas.
On Stage 8 of the Tour de France, we should finally see the big boys come out. The first climb of the day is also one of the hardest of the entire Tour. Col du Tourmalet is a regular fixture of the Tour, and the longest hors categorie (that is to say, "outside of any classification") climb on this year's route. Podium Cafe has it pegged as the second-hardest climb of the entire 2016 Tour behind only fearsome Mont Ventoux. It's a beast.
Riders will meet Col du Tourmalet 67 kilometers into the stage. From there, it's a grueling 19 kilometers to the summit and the Souvenir Jacques Goddet at an average gradient of 7.4 percent. The peloton will be winnowed quickly on the climb, and then it will still have three more climbs to go. Stage 8 is easily the best start-to-finish viewing stage of the Tour thus far.
The stage will begin in the classic Tour town of Pau at approximately 6:20 a.m. ET. From there, it's 184 kilometers to the finish line in Bagnères-de-Luchon. Those who have been stuck without a fancy cable package are in luck: Regular 'ol NBC, not NBCSN, will broadcast the stage beginning at 8 a.m. The stage can be streamed with a subscription to NBC Sports Gold.
After the Col du Tourmalet, riders face a Category 2 and two Category 1 climbs before descending to the finish. That descent down a long, non-technical road somewhat negates the chance of one rider running away with the stage and the yellow jersey, but the general classification should certainly look much different than it does right now. Greg Van Avermaet will have to fight very hard to keep the yellow jersey away from much better pure climbers like Chris Froome, Nairo Quintana and Romain Bardet.
Saturday's stage may not be as decisive as the mountaintop finishes still to come -- the first coming tomorrow, Sunday -- but it will define the battle to be waged. Best of all, there may be llamas.
Stage route
Profile
Col du Tourmalet
Stage map and profile courtesy of the Tour's official site.
Tour de France coverage for Stage 8 on Saturday
Start time: 6:20 a.m. ET (approx.)
Route: 184 kilometers from Pau to Bagnères-de-Luchon
TV: NBC, beginning at 8 a.m. ET
Streaming: NBC Sports Gold (subscription required)
Classifications, results and complete schedule for the 2016 Tour de France