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Big climbs and dangerous descents permeate Stage 16 of the Tour de France, the longest stage of the race.
After another rest day, the Tour de France will continue with Stage 16 on Tuesday. The stage will take riders from Carcassonne through Bagnères-de-Luchon, and it will span an imposing 237.5 kilometers. There are a couple of big climbs along the way, especially along the final 100km, but more important than the climbs are the descents.
The full length of this stage is the longest of any for the Tour, and the coming stages are plenty brutal as well. There's not likely to be many attacks this time around, as riders look to conserve energy. It will be competitive however, though all eyes will be on the final descent from Port de Balès, which involves a dangerous 20km of descent from the top of that climb.
As noted by the folks at Podium Cafe, the stage could seal the deal for Vincenzo Nibali, who is among the Tour's best going downhill. It's a technical descent, and if you watch any part of the action on Tuesday, make it the end. Here's a picture of the route, via the Tour de France's website:
Image may be NSFW.
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And below, we've got a look at the stage profile with all of the climbs/descents:
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
TV Coverage: Coverage will begin at 8 a.m. ET on NBCSN, and will run through 11:30 a.m. ET.
Live Streaming: NBC Sports Live Extra will carry coverage concurrent with the NBCSN broadcast.
