Saint-Lary Pla d’Adet, stage 17

In to the Pyrenees and the Saint-Lary Pla d’Adet is the final climb on what we expect to be an explosive 17th stage of the Tour, where four successive climbs are packed into just 124.5km of racing, and so the pace is set to be high from the gun.

The first three climbs are category one ascents, while the hardest the hors categorie Saint-Lary Pla d’Adet is saved until last. The climb measure 10.2km with an average gradient of 8.3 per cent, but it’s severity is masked by a short descent after seven kilometres. This is not a climb to be taken lightly.

In fact, this is one of the hardest climbs in the 2014 race, with the first four kilometres averaging close to ten per cent and regular ramps in double figures – the perfect place to launch an attack or, more likely for you and I, grind to a halt.

Raymond Poulidor won the first ever stage to Pla d’Adet and a plaque marks the point where the Frenchman launched his winning attack on July 15, 1974. Fast forward to the 21st Century and FDJ.fr rider Thibaut Pinot currently holds the Strava King of the Mountains record from his recon of stage 17 back in May.

Stage: seventeen
Category: hors categorie
Length: 10.2km
Average gradient: 8.3 per cent
Maximum gradient: 13 per cent