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Alpine appetizer: Tour de France Stage 18 features summit finish at Orcières-Merlette
🇵🇾 Paraguay /Elections & Politics

Alpine appetizer: Tour de France Stage 18 features summit finish at Orcières-Merlette

From ABC Color · () Spanish

Translated from Spanish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

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  • The 18th stage of the Tour de France on Thursday covers 185.2 kilometers from Voiron to Orcières-Merlette, featuring a first-category summit finish.
  • The route includes five climbs, with the final ascent being 7.1 kilometers long with an average gradient of 6.7%, offering terrain for both breakaway riders and general classification contenders.
  • This stage follows two finishes at Alpe d'Huez and last saw a summit finish six years ago when Primoz Roglic defeated Tadej Pogacar.

The Tour de France peloton faces a demanding 185.2-kilometer Stage 18 on Thursday, a challenging route from Voiron to Orcières-Merlette that culminates in a first-category summit finish.

This stage is designed to test riders with five categorized climbs. The day begins with the Cota de Engins, a first-category ascent spanning 11.4 kilometers with a 5.4% gradient, potentially sparking early breakaway attempts. Following this are a third-category climb, the Cota de Saint-Léger-les Mélézes, and another third-category climb, the Cota de Terrasses, on rugged terrain offering few respites.

The day's profile boasts a total of 3,900 meters of positive elevation gain. The final climb to Orcières-Merlette, measuring 7.1 kilometers at an average gradient of 6.7%, is expected to be decisive. This ascent offers no easy sections and could significantly impact the general classification battle. The resort last hosted a Tour de France finish six years ago, when Slovenian rider Primoz Roglic triumphed over his compatriot Tadej Pogacar.

DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by ABC Color in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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