Mont Ventoux finish shortened due to high winds

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Tour de France 2016: Mont Ventoux finish shortened due to high winds

Race organisers confirm stage 12 will finish at Chalet Reynard after 100km/h winds recorded at Mont Ventoux summit

Extreme weather conditions have forced Tour de France officials to shorten stage 12, with the finish line now at Chalet Reynard rather than the top of Mont Ventoux.

Winds reaching up to 100km/h were recorded atop the iconic Provence mountain today (Wednesday July 13) and race organisers took the decision to lower the stage finish for safety reasons.

The Bastille Day stage is one of the most-eagerly awaited at this year’s race, but the climb will now miss out the barren, wide-open mountain top and finish after the climb’s forest instead.

High winds atop Mont Ventoux have forced organisers to move the summit finish to Chalet Reynard (pic: Sirotti)

While the climb is shorter, and will now not pass the Tom Simpson Memorial either, the finish is still a hugely demanding one – the climb from St. Esteve to Chalet Reyanrd, at 1417m, is still 9.5km long with a punishing average gradient of nine per cent.

The twisting climb through the forest includes some ramps well into double-figure gradients, and the stage – with the possibility of high winds on the long, flat opening part of the route – is still likely to be pivotal in the race for the yellow jersey.

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Tour de France 2016 Tour de France 2016 News & Features

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