Tradition atop Stage 14; a virtual bike ride to the mountaintop finish

The last Tour de France stage set in the Pyrenees throws six category climbs at the peloton in Stage 14 on Saturday.

The cyclists must cross the Col de Portet-d’Aspet (Category 2), the Col de la Core (Category 1), the Col de Latrape (Category 2), the Col
d’Agnes (Category 1), and the Port de Lers (Category 3) before racing up the mountaintop finish at the Plateau de Beille (beyond category).

Although individually the ascents are easier than others like the Tourmalet and the Aubisque, taken together they'll make for a very difficult stage.

Tradition

The other reason is that tradition holds that the stage winner on Plateau de Beille will win the Tour de France. Those stage winners were Marco Pantani in 1998, Lance Armstrong in 2002 and 2004, and Alberto Contador in 2007.

In only one case, Armstrong in 2002, was the stage winner also wearing the yellow jersey. Interestingly, the yellow jersey holder in 2004 when Armstrong won the stage was Thomas Voeckler, today's overall leader.

So let's see what Contador, the Brothers Schleck and Contador will be struggling up at the end of the 168km (104 miles) route from Saint-Gaudens to Plateau de Beille.

Cycling the Alps (and Pyrenees)

Cycling the Alps has profiles, 3D tours, a bicycling “game” and, when available, a Street View of all the ascents at this year's Tour de France.

Here's the Streets View bike ride up the final climb up Plateau de Beille. It looks like a pleasant enough bike ride here (is that an outhouse in a yard in the third block?). Unfortunately most of the cyclists in the peloton will be at the intersection of pain and delirium at this point and won't get to enjoy the view.