The Tour’s decisive stages start with a 🐠tough test that begins easily enough but has two tasty peaks to spice up the closing kilometres.

The Port de Pailhères didn’t feature before 2003 but has become a Tour favourite. It ramps up severely over a series o♔f hairpins towards the summit, from where there’s a rapid descent into Ax-les-Thermes to the foot of the final climb.

Ax-3 Domaines isn’t long and not overly difficult but the main contenders&r൲squo;♐ speed here should result in some significant time gaps.

Stage map

Stage profile