Col d’Aspin (stage seven)

Stage seven has a short uphill finish at Lac de Payolle, but it is the climb – and descent – immediately preceding it which could force an early shake up of the general classification.

With the race in the Hautes-Pyrenees for the first time, the 12km Col d’Aspin is the first of the region’s big climbs to tackle.

A category-one ascent, the 1,490m summit is just seven kilometres from the finish line and will be tackled from the tougher Arreau side where the average gradient is 6.5 per cent; some of the major switchbacks reach double figures.

Andorre Arcalis [AND] (stage nine)

The Vuelta a Espana’s venture into Andorra in 2015 provided one of the toughest Grand Tour stages ever ridden, and also ended an injured Chris Froome’s participation.

And the Tour de France will also cross the border this year, with Arcalis providing the highest summit finish of this year’s race on stage nine.

The climb is only categorised for the final ten kilometres, but the ascending starts from Ordino making it an 18.5km ascent in truth.

The average gradient for the whole climbs is a little over five per cent, but that masks the much steeper middle section in El Serrat. A number of sharp switchbacks just short of the summit also add to the difficulty and provide plenty of opportunity to attack.

Mont Ventoux (stage 12)

Does Mont Ventoux need any more of an introduction? Back on the route for the first time since 2013, Chris Froome’s attack on the Giant of Provence in that year was one of the highlights of his maiden Tour win.

Arriving on Bastille Day, the climb from Bedoin is one of the Tour’s most iconic ascents – 15.7km in all, with an average gradient of 8.8 per cent.

This is the tenth time Ventoux has featured as a summit finish at the Tour, with its barren top and gradients approaching double figures on the unforgiving terrain likely to be one of the highlights of this year’s race.

Finhaut-Emosson [SUI] (stage 17)

Alongside crossing the border into Spain and Andorra, the Tour de France peloton also heads to Switzerland this year, with the spectacular Finhaut-Emosson the summit finish on stage 17.

The Col de la Forclaz will warm the legs – 13km at 7.9 per cent – but it’s the HC summit finish where the GC men will look to kick off the final week with some big gains.

The road to the dam is 10.4km long, with an average gradient in excess of eight per cent and a maximum closer to 13 per cent. The views are spectacular, but it will be scant consolation to the peloton on the thigh-numbingly steep climb.

Cote de Domancy (stage 18)

It’s not always the size of the climb that matters, but how it will have to be raced that has a bearing on the Tour’s outcome.

And that is definitely true of the Cote de Domancy, where the Prix Bernard Hinault will be awarded to the fastest to the summit during the stage 18 climbing time trial.

The Domancy peaks at 6.5km into the 17km stage, with the 2.5km ascent boasting a fierce average gradient of 9.4 per cent. It’s not necessarily about being fastest to the top though – the Cote des Chozeaux (3.1km at 5.4 per cent) is still to come so enough needs to be kept in reserve to avoid big time losses.

Saint-Gervais Mont Blanc (stage 19)

A steep start, followed by a hairpin-laden finale should mean the final climb of stage 19 poses plenty of headaches for whichever rider starts it in the maillot jaune.

The raw stats – 9.8km at eight per cent – are fierce enough, but they mask a climb which kicks hard from the very start, with the gradient 13 per cent for the first kilometre and then 10.8 per cent for the second.

Anybody launching a stinging attack at the base of the climb will benefit from the climb levelling a little in the middle but once the switchbacks start the gradient ramps right back up again.

Mont Blanc could well be where the Tour de France is won or lost.

Tour de France 2016: HC climbs

Col du Tourmalet (19km ay 7.4%) – stage eight
Andorre Arcalis (10.1km at 7.2%) – stage nine, summit finish
Mont Ventoux (15.7km at 8.8%) – stage 12, summit finish
Grand Colombier (12.8km at 6.8%) – stage 15
Finhaut-Emosson (10.4km at 8.4%) – stage 17, summit finish
Montee de Bisanne (12.4km at 8.2%) – stage 19
Col du Joux Plane (11.6km at 8.5%) – stage 20