Preview: 2015 Tour de France — Stage 16

Bourg-de-Péage to Gap (201km)

Monday, July 20 | 6:40 a.m. EST – 11:35 a.m. EST

Stage 16 takes 201km to reach Gap. On paper it might look like a fast stage, but this is not a stage for the sprinters. They will likely fall off the pace on the Col de Manse; it’s a more difficult climb than its average gradient of 5.5 percent would suggest. Instead, we will likely see the baroudeurs fighting for the win on this transition stage through the Rhône Valley. In theory, it should be a good day for them: coming just before the race reaches the Alps, no one will want to risk riding behind the breakaway. That doesn’t mean, though, that the stage will be easy. The Tour is now in its third week; the legs will be getting heavy for many riders.