Mazamet -> Plateau-de-Beille
It’s very nasty. I think they should take it out. It’s a violation of our human rights. I love it.
Lance Armstrong about the Plateau-de-Beille in 2004
Mazamet > Plateau-de-Beille
July 22 2007 / 14th Stage / Distance : 197 km
Km 9 Côte de Sarraille Montée de 9 km à 5,2%
Km 146 Col de Pailhères Montée de 16,8 km à 7,2%
Km 197 Plateau-de-Beille Montée de 15,9 km à 7,9%
BikeStyle Tour de France Pyrenees VIP Experience
The BikeStyle VIP Tour that I’m lucky enough to be going on takes in the Pyrenees stages and the Albi time trial. This years tour is so finely balanced we are certain to see the decisive moments of this years tour. Apart from watching the tour and exploring the riders enclosure at Albi and enjoying finishes in VIP style there is some hard work to do! As part of the tour we get to ride a whole stage of the tour on the day that the tour rides it.
The stage we get to ride is the first in the Pyrenees and it’s a killer. The stage starts in the first time start town of Mazamet and just to wake the riders up immediately has a category 2 climb over the Montagne Noir. It’s a climb i’ve done and although not too steep it’s quite long and the riders who are still digesting breakfast might get caught out. Then it’s a nice downhill for 17k or so out of the Montagne Noir. Then the only way is up from Carcassonne to the Pyrenees.
To break up the monotony of the flat plain comes a hors category climb: Col de Pailhères (2001m). The Col de Pailhères as been the seen of some epic battles, not least between Ullrich, Basso and Armstrong in 2005. The climb the way we’ll do it is 10.6 km long and has a maximum gradient of 10.2% . This isn’t the last HC climb of the day so it might be where I’m grateful of the two support vehicles, they have promised a push if necessary. Down 30km then the HC climb of the Plateau-de-Beille to the finish.
The finish at Plateau-de-Beille is an amazing finish won by Lance Armstrong the last two time the tour has finished here. The climb is 17.9km at 7.9% and at the end of a long day should be quite a trial. If you want an idea of the finish have a look a video fly through of the finish Warning 16.8MB. The last finish in 2004 it was Lance Armstrong and Ivan Basso shoulder to shoulder through the Basque crowds. Lance sprinted in the last 100m and won.
NASA has some great imagery of the finish including a 16 MB video fly through of the finish.
July 22 2007 / 14th Stage / Distance : 197 km
Km 9 Côte de Sarraille Montée de 9 km à 5,2%
Km 146 Col de Pailhères Montée de 16,8 km à 7,2%
Km 197 Plateau-de-Beille Montée de 15,9 km à 7,9%
1 Response to “Mazamet to Plateau-de-Beille”