Stage 10 of the Tour de France promises to be a turning point in the race, offering the hardest test yet in the highlands of the Massif Central. It’s Bastille Day, always a big target for the French riders, but this year it also marks the first major climbing day of the Tour. With 4,450m of elevation and eight categorised climbs, this 165km stage from Ennezat to Le Mont-Dore is expected to ignite the general classification fight.
The peloton has now raced ten days straight, and while Tuesday brings the long-awaited rest day, today’s route will be far from restful. It could also be the moment we finally see what Tadej Pogačar, Jonas Vingegaard and Remco Evenepoel have in the tank when the road really turns uphill.
The route – relentless climbing through the Massif Central
It begins tamely enough in the town of Ennezat, but within 12km the riders hit the Côte de Loubeyrat (4.1km at 6.3%) and from that point, there’s barely a flat road all day. Three more categorised climbs arrive in the middle third of the stage – Côte de La Baraque (4.8km at 7.4%), Côte de Charade (5.1km at 6.8%), and Côte de Berzet (3.4km at 7.4%) – forming a tough central block likely to host fierce breakaway attempts.
With the stage falling on France’s national day, expect multiple French riders to go on the offensive. The likes of Julian Alaphilippe, Romain Grégoire, and Aurélien Paret-Peintre are obvious candidates, though whether they’re allowed enough freedom will depend on how seriously the GC teams take the stage.
The real test comes late. After the Col de Guéry (3.4km at 6.7%) and Col de la Croix Morand (3.4km at 5.7%), the final climb pairing will shape the outcome. The Col de la Croix Saint-Robert (5.1km at 6.4%) tops out just 10km from the line, and is followed by a fast descent before the short, steep final ascent to Puy de Sancy (3.3km at 8%).
This is where the fireworks are expected – a punchy summit finish after over 4,000m of climbing, with the Tour’s top climbers and GC leaders all looking to gain time before the Pyrenees.
What’s on offer
Date: Monday, 14th July
Distance: 165km
Start/Finish: Ennezat – Le Mont-Dore
Sprint:
Climbs:
Côte de Loubeyrat (cat. 2, km 11.8)
Côte de La Baraque (cat. 2, km 54.5)
Côte de Charade (cat. 2, km 66.6)
Côte de Berzet (cat. 2, km 78.4)
Col de Guéry (cat. 2, km 115.4)
Col de la Croix Morand (cat. 3, km 124.1)
Col de la Croix Saint-Robert (cat. 2, km 155.4)
Puy de Sancy (cat. 2, km 165.3)
Prediction
With João Almeida now out of the race, Tadej Pogačar will have to manage his efforts more carefully, but his explosiveness and climbing form should make the difference here. The steep finale suits him perfectly, and his 1:17 advantage over Jonas Vingegaard gives him room to attack or defend as he sees fit. On a day when others may start showing cracks, Pogačar has the chance to underline his dominance. We expect him to win the stage and extend his lead in yellow.