Stage 16 : Andorre la Vieille - Ax-les-Thermes, 230km.
One of the major touristic hotspots of the principality.
After a deserved day of rest (or five weeks, for that matter, thanks to a seriously infuriating internet provider), we're back on the saddle. (Last stage : page 207 :
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With the start considered as mandatory in Andorra, we only have two options there. North, thats where we come from, or South.
The problem being that if you go to the north, you'll need to use Envalira twice.
The problem for the South side is the awfully long autopistas (Canto+Bonaigua) used to move back to France. There is no alternative there, and as you need more than 165k (with the Portillon) to get to Luchon, i feel thats not exactly the best way to use the area.
Not to mention that i'd prefer a punchier route for that stage, after the rest day, i feel its best to have a stage with much more rhythm.
Thats why we get our asses back on the north, back into the Envalira, after a short but painful detour by Ordino, in order to start the race in a bang.
26km of climbing in the first 41, thats going to be rude for the riders, hopefully the long descent from Pas-de-la-Casa will be there to calm things down. But not too much.
Then, we decide to go to an area rarely seen on the Tour : The Cerdagne.
Its just too far away from the main block of passes, like the Pays Basque. Worse, there is almost no pass and there isnt a true realistic stop there except for Font-Romeu, which is not in the best spot to do so cycling-wise.
For the basque region, its really a shame, for here, at least i can conceive that ASO wont move there too often...but come on, once in 40 years ?
In order to give a full explanation, i probably should tell you that this département is among the poorest of metropolitan France, with (by far) the worst unemployment-level (despite a lot of summer-jobs available, which should tell you how bad it really is) and other red flags in similar important areas.
For ASO, that wont be good. But as i seem to be a greater person than them, i dont care about the size of your bank account. Just of your breasts.
We'll start with the ascent to the ghost station of Err-Puigmal, as the snow went missing, the money disappeared as well, but we're going to stop at the midway point and go back in the plain.
Rather than a plain, its more like a small poor man's altiplano, between two massifs and the Ebre valley.
No bowler hat and ponchos there, so we'll follow that pattern for a while, going up and down against the Puigmal and its neighbours on small roads, not very steep, but they just wont give an opportunity to rest.
Next, Mont-Louis, a beautiful fortress of Vauban.
And then we'll move in the Aude valley after the Col de la Quillane.
But instead of going down, lets take that road on the east with the short Col de Creu.
Again, not necessarily very tough, but there is no flat there.
In fact, this one is there in order to take the next one which follows smoothly : Le Col de la Llose.
13km long, thats a change from the previous ones. Other change with the road, which is very narrow at times, and of...inconsistent quality to say the least.
But bikes should not have any problem. The gradient is not horrible, and very consistent, actually.
The small descent is done on the cleaner side, the road is perfectly fine there, and we get back next to the Aude valley, in the Capcir plateau, until the Lake of Puyvalador.
The road was more of the false flat kind at this point, as the descent will really starts once we get in the forest. Watch out if you're not good at it.
Its very technical, the road is not in good shape, and there will be gaps created there.
Hopefully, no remake of the Bruyneel's antics of 1996 with the Madeleine, but the road, although good enough to be raced on, is going to be tricky.
We'll finally reach the Usson Castle, with the Port de Pailhères waiting for us and separating us from the finish line, right at the bottom of the descent in Ax-les-Thermes.
Its a popular climb, done 5 times in 10 years, and deservedly so. Its rough, and after racing for 195km with no flat whatsoever, thats rougher.
Over 8% in average with several parts perfect to break the rythm of SRM-friendly riders.
The descent is not easy as well and the finish is in Ax-les-Thermes, which is not common.
Indeed, we always have finished the stage in the region with a summit (Beille and Ax-3-Domaines are close) since 1965, over 11 stages.
I feel thats not necessary to have a finish in Ax-3 Domaines after a stage that should be difficult enough to see some sparkles.