STAGE 13 OF 21Friday 17 July

Dole → Belfort

Hilly205.8 KMVosges

The longest stage of the Tour at 205.8km, climbing out of the Jura toward the Ballon d'Alsace — one of the race's historic passes — before dropping to Belfort. A breakaway day, but a hard one.

KEY CLIMBS

—

Col des Croix

5.4 km · 4.9% avg

—

Ballon d'Alsace

8.7 km · 6.9% avg

THE TACTICAL READ

WHO IT SUITS

The breakaway, and a hard rider within it. At 205.8km over the Ballon d'Alsace, this is a day of attrition that thins any move to its strongest few.

WHAT TO WATCH

The selection on the Ballon d'Alsace. The climb comes far enough from the line that a strong descender or rouleur can solo to Belfort.

ROADMAN PREDICTION

The break stays away on the longest day of the Tour. A hilly-classics specialist or a rangy all-rounder wins from a move whittled to a handful.

THE ROADMAN TAKE

WHAT THIS STAGE DEMANDS

A 200km-plus day is a fuelling and pacing exam above all else. The riders who finish strong are the ones who ate from kilometre zero, not the ones who waited until they felt hungry. For your own big days, fuel to the plan, not to the feeling — by the time you feel empty, it is already too late.

WHAT LACHLAN MORTON WOULD PUSH

His long-distance feats run on relentless, early, consistent fuelling — the body can only absorb so much per hour, so you start eating before you need to and never stop.

TRAIN FOR IT

The Roadman content that builds what Stage 13 asks for.

Nutrition plan for a 100-mile sportive→In-Ride Fuelling Calculator→Nutrition hub→

← STAGE 12

Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours → Chalon-sur-Saône

STAGE 14 →

Mulhouse → Le Markstein Fellering

← ALL 21 STAGES