Tour de France Stage 9 Preview

Review of Montain Stage: Stage 9: Morzine-Avoriaz to Saint-Jean-De-Maurienne

Stage 9 is the major mountain stage of the Alps. This stage will have the boys going over well-known climbs such as the Col de la Madeleine.  These are the type of stages that RadioShack GC contender Lance Armstrong dreams about. A stage like today will provide him with ample opportunities to make up a few of those lost minutes from the earlier cobble stages and wrecks. Now we just need to hope that Contador and Andy Schleck fail to have the legs to keep up with him.

Despite having an impressive mountain profile, this stage does not actually have a summit finish. The downhill finish on this stage will make for an interesting conclusion. To truly take advantage of this profile, riders will have to go for it during the last climb over the Col de la Madeleine. This runs a huge risk because the stage features a nearly 15 kilometer flat section after the downhill portion of the Madeleine. Without a team to protect them, riders are exposed to many misfortunes and run the risk of being overtaken by the peloton in the last few kilometers.

Stage 9 starts in Morzine-Alvoriaz after a rest day in the same town. It features five climbs ranging from Category 4 to a hors catégorie climb or beyond classification. Climbs begin early and continue throughout the day, with the first climb at 18.5 kilometers at the Côte de Châtillon. This climb is a 2.1-kilometer climb with a grade of 3.9%. The next climb, a Category 1 climb, is the Col de la Colombière, which is 16.5 kilometers in length with a grade of 6.7%.  The following climbs are the Col Des Avrais, which is 7.6 kilometers and has a grade of 5.9%, the Col des Saisies, which is 14.4 kilometers and has a grade of 5.1%. Finally the riders will have to summit the Col de la Madeleine. This mammoth climb is 25.5 kilometers in length and has a grade of 6.2%.

Throughout the course, there are two places for riders to gain sprint points. The first is 25.5 kilometers into the day at Cluses and the second is at La Bathie, which is 135.5 kilometers into the day and soon before the Col de la Madeline.

After 204.5 kilometers, this day ends in Saint-Jean-De-Maurienne, which will be hosting its second tour stop. This town is most famous for producing expert downhill slalom skiers on the steep ski slopes surrounding the area.

By Fitzalan Gorman, staff writer