Alpe d’Huez returns to the Tour de France for the first time since 2015 when Thibaut Pinot soloed to victory ahead of Nairo Quintana, who saw an all-or-nothing attack turn sour. He won 1’20” on Froome, yet it was not enough as the next day the Briton received the overall honours in Paris. Who is going to succeed Pinot?
The stage sets off from Bourg-Saint-Maurice, a village the riders crossed in the 11 stage before tackling the closing climb to La Rosière. This time they head for the Col de la Madeleine, peaking at 2,000 metres and crested at kilometre 53.3. The climb amounts to 25.3 kilometres, while the slope is averaging 6.2%.
Following the descent the riders hit the short and sharp Les Lacets de Montvernier before they arrive at the base of the Col de la Croix de Fer, yet another famous Alp. Peaking 2.067 metres, the Croix de Fer is crested at kilometre 121. It is a 29 kilometres toil at 5.2% to arrive at that altitude.
The riders are awarded a 30 kilometres drop before 10 kilometres on the flat bring them to Bourg d’Oisans at the foot of the closing climb. On the 21 hairpins of the Alpe the GC riders will have no excuses to hold back with the race heading out of the mountains on stage 13. The climb to the ski village is 13.8 kilometres at 8.1% with the steepest ramp of 11.5% some 4 kilometres before the arrival.
The first three riders on the line win time bonuses of 10, 6 and 4 seconds. The intermediate sprint (at kilometre 91) does not come with a time bonus, it’s a sprint for green jersey points.
Read also: results/race report 12th stage 2018 Tour de France
Tour de France 2018 stage 12: Route maps, height profiles, and more
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