This is going to be an epic stage of the 2012 Tour De France and it was incredible to get to pre ride it and see what they will be racing over this summer!! 4 climbs, 2 Cat 1’s, 1HC, 1 Cat 3, 6+hours and 140+km with 3700+m of climbing in all, everyone is enjoying a well deserved rest day today!
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The top of the first Cat 1 Col de Mente: 9.5km at an average of 9+%, a nice way to start the day!
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The descent of the Mente, lots of fun:
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Kim climbing the HC Port de Bales, about 2.5km from the top, just after the 500m stretch of 15% and almost exactly where Andy Schleck dropped his chain the last time the Tour came here a few years ago:
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This is what we came to France looking for:
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What a way to end the day, unfortunatley the top was 6.5km not 4.5 like the sign says, that is not what you want to hear at the end of a 6+hour day!
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But this is good motivation to keep you going:
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