The profile of the seventeenth stage of the Tour de France 2023 is frightening. “The stage presents itself as a great challenge, with more than 5,000 meters of elevation to take or exploit throughout the day”, summarizes Christian Prudhomme, the director of the event, to detail the 166 km course. between Saint-Gervais Mont-Blanc (Haute-Savoie) and Courchevel (Savoie).
Reading the route, the eyes are drawn to the terrible Col de la Loze (28.1 km at 6%, out of category). Appearing for the first time on the Grande Boucle in 2020, where the Colombian Miguel Angel Lopez had won, the ascent intimidates with its many breaks in slopes, its curves and its significant percentages. A topography linked to its construction: in 2019, the resorts of Méribel and Courchevel decided to pave part of their ski slopes to make them accessible to cyclists.
The first three runners at the top will be credited with eight, 5five and two bonus seconds as well as a bonus of 5,000 euros for the man in the lead. It is indeed at the top of the Loze that the Henri-Desgrange souvenir prize is awarded during this 110th edition of the Tour de France, which rewards the cyclist crossing the highest pass of the race at the head of the race. Then, it will be necessary to negotiate a technical descent of almost 6 kilometers to reach the finish, which will be judged on the altiport of Courchevel and its ultimate slope at 18%!
Before this last difficulty, the route will not be easy, however, since you will have to climb the Col des Saisies (13.4 km at 5.1%, 1st category), the Cormet de Roselend (19.9 km at 6 %, 1st category) and the Longefoy coast (6.6 km at 7.5%, 2nd category).
After Jonas Vingegaard’s demonstration in the previous day’s time trial, this last alpine stage of the 2023 Tour is one of the last opportunities to widen the gap. Tadej Pogacar, relegated to almost two minutes from the Dane, will he have the legs to attempt a long breakaway, one of the only options he has left to hope to steal the yellow tunic from his rival? Or will the latter take advantage of his current form to establish his dominance? Answers from 12:30 p.m.