After two stages reserved for sprinters, the climbers will have their say, Wednesday, between Pau and Laruns.
In Béarn, land of rugby, it will be time to flex your muscles and clearly show your ambitions. After two stages for the sprinters and won by Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin-Deceuninck), the organizers of the Tour de France have decided to spice up the profile of the fifth stage, Wednesday July 5, between Pau and Laruns (live on France 2 and France .TV). For 162.7 km, the best climbers will be honored in the Pyrenees massif, with potentially the first gaps in the general classification.
What is the profile?
From Pau, via the straight and wide roads of Lasseube, Oloron-Sainte-Marie and Aramits, the peloton will join the intermediate sprint at km 48.8, on a perilous course. After a rather “soft” aperitif, the Grande Boucle will offer a discovery of Bearn heritage. If the garbure is not on the menu, the runners will still have the opportunity to warm up, with the first out-of-category pass of this 2023 edition to climb, that of Soudet (15.1 km, 7.2%) . The organizers decided to take the more difficult route, via the Sainte-Engrâce dam.
After this particularly difficult appetizer and a descent of more than 20 kilometers, the col d’Ischère (3rd category, 4.2 km at 7%) will be expected, before the peloton reaches the second big piece of the day, the col de Marie Blanque (1st category, 7.7 km at 8.6%) , which will offer bonuses to the general. “It’s really only those who play the general who will be able to get out of this pass because it is really very steep, especially the last three kilometers which offer slopes of more than 10/11%”announces Thierry Gouvenou, who traces the route of the Tour. To close this winding circuitthe last 13 kilometers will be on a false flat rising to the town of Laruns. “The first gaps will be made on this stage”assures Cédric Coutouly, a former French rider who has become a regulator on the Tour.
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Who are the favourites?
Without taking too many risks, this fifth stage should reward a climber and probably a serious customer in the quest for the polka dot jersey. For now, Neilson Powless (EF Education-EasyPost) has the tunic. The one who has “grew up with the Tour de France, seeing the polka dot jersey rolling at the front of the race”present in the three first breakaways of the Grande Boucle, will have a real opportunity to test its ambitions in the Pyrenees.
If the leaders decide to gauge themselves, Tadej Pogacar (UAE), winner of an almost similar course in 2020, already drawn between Pau and Laruns, could want to widen the gap a little more with Jonas Vingegaard (Jumbo-Visma), who has already conceded 11″ on the Slovenian through the game of bonuses. What will be the attitude of Adam Yates (UAE), the yellow jersey? On the French side, Thibaut Pinot (Groupama-FDJ) still has good memories of the Pyrenees, where he won at the top of the Tourmalet in 2019, at the end of a dantesque mountain stage.Warren Barguil (Arkéa-Samsic), former winner of the polka dot jersey (2017) and winner between Saint-Girons and Foix the same year , could also revive his past.
What are the schedules ?
12:55 p.m.: start of the broadcast on France 3 and france.tv
1:05 p.m.: fictitious start
1:25 p.m.: real departure (changeover to France 2 at 3 p.m.)
5:35 p.m.: scheduled arrival (at an average of 39 km/h) in Laruns