Tour de France 2023 stage 14 preview: Route map and profile of 138km to Morzine

On the proof of what we’ve seen up to now within the 2023 Tour de France, this may very well be essentially the most carefully fought duel between two champion riders for a era. Jonas Vingegaard is the reigning king with the yellow jersey on his shoulders; Tadej Pogacar is the two-time winner progressively chipping into the Dane’s benefit – loss of life by a thousand cuts.

Yesterday’s stage 13 noticed Pogacar’s UAE Emirates management the entrance of the peloton and set a gradual however not seering tempo, permitting their chief to blow up over the ultimate few hundred metres and pinch a bit extra time again from Vingegaard, who – after 53 hours, 48 minutes and 50 seconds – is now solely 9 seconds forward of his Slovenian rival.

We are able to anticipate extra fireworks on stage 14, which sees the peloton experience into the Alps on a 152km route from Annemasse to Morzine ski resort. Three robust class one climbs line the highway to the hors categorie Col de Joux Airplane (11.6km at 8.5%), a brutally steep grind the place bonuses await the primary few excessive and stage victory is the prize on the backside.

The Joux Place is hideously painful and what’s so robust in regards to the climb is that there isn’t any respite – not a single kilometre of the 11.6 to the highest averages lower than 6.8% gradient. It’s relentless and there’s no escape. It is a great spot to assault if the legs are feeling recent, as a result of a struggling rival has nowhere to cover, no protected place to succeed in. They merely must dig in, face the ache and cling on.

Both Pogacar or Vingegaard may make a decisive play right here. Whether or not or not the winner of their duel wins the stage itself is determined by how far the breakaway is allowed to flee up the highway, and whether or not anybody in it has the potential to complete the job in the best way Michal Kwiatkowski clinched stage 13.

Vingegaard’s Jumbo-Visma confirmed little curiosity in chasing the breakaway yesterday, so it might be as much as UAE Emirates to regulate the peloton. It needs to be one other fascinating day at this Tour de France, and by the top of this brutal experience we must always know extra in regards to the future of the yellow jersey.

Stage 14 route map and profile

Begin time

The stage is ready to start at round 12pm BST and is anticipated to complete at round 4-4.30pm BST.

Prediction

The breakaway could be caught this time as a result of it’s such a demanding stage, and the strongest riders will come to the fore. There, I anticipate Pogacar to play a affected person sport and depart it late earlier than bursting away from Vingegaard to clinch the stage, and maybe the yellow jersey too.