The heartwarming folk tale of the mountain waiting at the end of stage six of the Tour de France begins in the Thirty Years’ War, when young women from the nearby town fled up the nearest hill to escape the threat of rape and murder by Swedish mercenaries. Cornered, they chose to kill themselves by leaping into the lake below rather than be caught.
Legend goes that one of their pursuers carved the words “beautiful girls” into a wooden plank in their memory, and while that gesture may not have made up for their indirect slaughter, it did enshrine itself into the mountain’s name, La Planche des Belles Filles (The Plank of Beautiful Girls). And it is up there, on top of La Planche, that we will get a first glimpse of who might win this race.
Tours tend to follow a familiar pattern. An early time trial. A flat and hilly first week for the sprinters and puncheurs. A steeper second week, usually finishing in the Alps or the Pyrenees. A brutal third week, climbing high into the clouds where only the strongest can keep pace, before a parade to Paris crowns the winner.
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There is a point in every race where the road kicks up steeply and only the very best cling on, when a cluster of elite GC riders are isolated from their domestiques and engage in wheel-to-wheel combat. That point might be a little earlier this time, and their legs might be a little fresher, but the principle is the same: La Planche des Belles Filles is the first chance for the eventual winner to stake their claim.
It is the first of five summit finishes in this Tour. There is something about them that leaves lasting imagery behind, like the photo of Geraint Thomas beating his chest in the yellow jersey on top of Alpe d’Huez 12 months ago. In the background, the road and the fans fall away into nothingness as if he has ascended on to some extraterrestrial plane.
Stage-by-stage guide to the 2019 Tour de France
1/64 2019 Tour de France
2/64 Stage 1, Grand Depart – Brussels (194.5km, flat)
3/64 Stage 1, Grand Depart – Brussels (194.5km, flat)
4/64 Stage 1, Grand Depart – Brussels (194.5km, flat)
5/64 Stage 2 – Brussels (27.6km, team time-trial)
6/64 Stage 2 – Brussels (27.6km, team time-trial)
7/64 Stage 2 – Brussels (27.6km, team time-trial)
8/64 Stage 3 – Binche to Epernay (215km, hilly)
9/64 Stage 3 – Binche to Epernay (215km, hilly)
10/64 Stage 3 – Binche to Epernay (215km, hilly)
11/64 Stage 4 – Reims to Nancy (213.5km, flat)
12/64 Stage 4 – Reims to Nancy (213.5km, flat)
13/64 Stage 4 – Reims to Nancy (213.5km, flat)
14/64 Stage 5 – Saint-die-des-Vosges to Colmar (175.5km, hilly)
15/64 Stage 5 – Saint-die-des-Vosges to Colmar (175.5km, hilly)
16/64 Stage 5 – Saint-die-des-Vosges to Colmar (175.5km, hilly)
17/64 Stage 6 – Mulhouse to La Planche des Belles Filles (160.5km, mountainous)
18/64 Stage 6 – Mulhouse to La Planche des Belles Filles (160.5km, mountainous)
19/64 Stage 6 – Mulhouse to La Planche des Belles Filles (160.5km, mountainous)
20/64 Stage 7 – Belfort to Chalon-sur-Saone (230km, flat)
21/64 Stage 7 – Belfort to Chalon-sur-Saone (230km, flat)
22/64 Stage 7 – Belfort to Chalon-sur-Saone (230km, flat)
23/64 Stage 8 – Macon to Saint Etienne (200km, hilly)
24/64 Stage 8 – Macon to Saint Etienne (200km, hilly)
25/64 Stage 8 – Macon to Saint Etienne (200km, hilly)
26/64 Stage 9 – Saint Etienne to Brioude (170.5km, hilly)
27/64 Stage 9 – Saint Etienne to Brioude (170.5km, hilly)
28/64 Stage 9 – Saint Etienne to Brioude (170.5km, hilly)
29/64 Stage 10 – Saint Flour to Albi (217.5km, flat)
30/64 Stage 10 – Saint Flour to Albi (217.5km, flat)
31/64 Stage 10 – Saint Flour to Albi (217.5km, flat)
32/64 Stage 11 – Albi to Toulouse (167km, flat)
33/64 Stage 11 – Albi to Toulouse (167km, flat)
34/64 Stage 11 – Albi to Toulouse (167km, flat)
35/64 Stage 12 – Toulouse to Bagneres de-Bigorre (209.5km, mountainous)
36/64 Stage 12 – Toulouse to Bagneres de-Bigorre (209.5km, mountainous)
37/64 Stage 12 – Toulouse to Bagneres de-Bigorre (209.5km, mountainous)
38/64 Stage 13 – Pau to Pau (27.2km, individual time-trial)
39/64 Stage 13 – Pau to Pau (27.2km, individual time-trial)
40/64 Stage 13 – Pau to Pau (27.2km, individual time-trial)
41/64 Stage 14 – Tarbes to Tourmalet Bareges (117.5km, mountainous)
42/64 Stage 14 – Tarbes to Tourmalet Bareges (117.5km, mountainous)
43/64 Stage 14 – Tarbes to Tourmalet Bareges (117.5km, mountainous)
44/64 Stage 15 – Limoux to Foix (185km, mountainous)
45/64 Stage 15 – Limoux to Foix (185km, mountainous)
46/64 Stage 15 – Limoux to Foix (185km, mountainous)
47/64 Stage 16 – Nimes (177km, flat)
48/64 Stage 16 – Nimes (177km, flat)
49/64 Stage 16 – Nimes (177km, flat)
50/64 Stage 17 – Pont du Gard to Gap (200km, hilly)
51/64 Stage 17 – Pont du Gard to Gap (200km, hilly)
52/64 Stage 17 – Pont du Gard to Gap (200km, hilly)
53/64 Stage 18 – Embrun to Valloire (208km, mountainous)
54/64 Stage 18 – Embrun to Valloire (208km, mountainous)
55/64 Stage 18 – Embrun to Valloire (208km, mountainous)
56/64 Stage 19 – Saint-Jean-de-Mauruenne to Tignes (126.5km, mountainous)
57/64 Stage 19 – Saint-Jean-de-Mauruenne to Tignes (126.5km, mountainous)
58/64 Stage 19 – Saint-Jean-de-Mauruenne to Tignes (126.5km, mountainous)
59/64 Stage 20 – Albertville to Val Thorens (130km, mountainous)
60/64 Stage 20 – Albertville to Val Thorens (130km, mountainous)
61/64 Stage 20 – Albertville to Val Thorens (130km, mountainous)
62/64 Stage 21 – Rambouillet to Champs-Elysees (128km, flat)
63/64 Stage 21 – Rambouillet to Champs-Elysees (128km, flat)
64/64 Stage 21 – Rambouillet to Champs-Elysees (128km, flat)
1/64 2019 Tour de France
2/64 Stage 1, Grand Depart – Brussels (194.5km, flat)
3/64 Stage 1, Grand Depart – Brussels (194.5km, flat)
4/64 Stage 1, Grand Depart – Brussels (194.5km, flat)
5/64 Stage 2 – Brussels (27.6km, team time-trial)
6/64 Stage 2 – Brussels (27.6km, team time-trial)
7/64 Stage 2 – Brussels (27.6km, team time-trial)
8/64 Stage 3 – Binche to Epernay (215km, hilly)
9/64 Stage 3 – Binche to Epernay (215km, hilly)
10/64 Stage 3 – Binche to Epernay (215km, hilly)
11/64 Stage 4 – Reims to Nancy (213.5km, flat)
12/64 Stage 4 – Reims to Nancy (213.5km, flat)
13/64 Stage 4 – Reims to Nancy (213.5km, flat)
14/64 Stage 5 – Saint-die-des-Vosges to Colmar (175.5km, hilly)
15/64 Stage 5 – Saint-die-des-Vosges to Colmar (175.5km, hilly)
16/64 Stage 5 – Saint-die-des-Vosges to Colmar (175.5km, hilly)
17/64 Stage 6 – Mulhouse to La Planche des Belles Filles (160.5km, mountainous)
18/64 Stage 6 – Mulhouse to La Planche des Belles Filles (160.5km, mountainous)
19/64 Stage 6 – Mulhouse to La Planche des Belles Filles (160.5km, mountainous)
20/64 Stage 7 – Belfort to Chalon-sur-Saone (230km, flat)
21/64 Stage 7 – Belfort to Chalon-sur-Saone (230km, flat)
22/64 Stage 7 – Belfort to Chalon-sur-Saone (230km, flat)
23/64 Stage 8 – Macon to Saint Etienne (200km, hilly)
24/64 Stage 8 – Macon to Saint Etienne (200km, hilly)
25/64 Stage 8 – Macon to Saint Etienne (200km, hilly)
26/64 Stage 9 – Saint Etienne to Brioude (170.5km, hilly)
27/64 Stage 9 – Saint Etienne to Brioude (170.5km, hilly)
28/64 Stage 9 – Saint Etienne to Brioude (170.5km, hilly)
29/64 Stage 10 – Saint Flour to Albi (217.5km, flat)
30/64 Stage 10 – Saint Flour to Albi (217.5km, flat)
31/64 Stage 10 – Saint Flour to Albi (217.5km, flat)
32/64 Stage 11 – Albi to Toulouse (167km, flat)
33/64 Stage 11 – Albi to Toulouse (167km, flat)
34/64 Stage 11 – Albi to Toulouse (167km, flat)
35/64 Stage 12 – Toulouse to Bagneres de-Bigorre (209.5km, mountainous)
36/64 Stage 12 – Toulouse to Bagneres de-Bigorre (209.5km, mountainous)
37/64 Stage 12 – Toulouse to Bagneres de-Bigorre (209.5km, mountainous)
38/64 Stage 13 – Pau to Pau (27.2km, individual time-trial)
39/64 Stage 13 – Pau to Pau (27.2km, individual time-trial)
40/64 Stage 13 – Pau to Pau (27.2km, individual time-trial)
41/64 Stage 14 – Tarbes to Tourmalet Bareges (117.5km, mountainous)
42/64 Stage 14 – Tarbes to Tourmalet Bareges (117.5km, mountainous)
43/64 Stage 14 – Tarbes to Tourmalet Bareges (117.5km, mountainous)
44/64 Stage 15 – Limoux to Foix (185km, mountainous)
45/64 Stage 15 – Limoux to Foix (185km, mountainous)
46/64 Stage 15 – Limoux to Foix (185km, mountainous)
47/64 Stage 16 – Nimes (177km, flat)
48/64 Stage 16 – Nimes (177km, flat)
49/64 Stage 16 – Nimes (177km, flat)
50/64 Stage 17 – Pont du Gard to Gap (200km, hilly)
51/64 Stage 17 – Pont du Gard to Gap (200km, hilly)
52/64 Stage 17 – Pont du Gard to Gap (200km, hilly)
53/64 Stage 18 – Embrun to Valloire (208km, mountainous)
54/64 Stage 18 – Embrun to Valloire (208km, mountainous)
55/64 Stage 18 – Embrun to Valloire (208km, mountainous)
56/64 Stage 19 – Saint-Jean-de-Mauruenne to Tignes (126.5km, mountainous)
57/64 Stage 19 – Saint-Jean-de-Mauruenne to Tignes (126.5km, mountainous)
58/64 Stage 19 – Saint-Jean-de-Mauruenne to Tignes (126.5km, mountainous)
59/64 Stage 20 – Albertville to Val Thorens (130km, mountainous)
60/64 Stage 20 – Albertville to Val Thorens (130km, mountainous)
61/64 Stage 20 – Albertville to Val Thorens (130km, mountainous)
62/64 Stage 21 – Rambouillet to Champs-Elysees (128km, flat)
63/64 Stage 21 – Rambouillet to Champs-Elysees (128km, flat)
64/64 Stage 21 – Rambouillet to Champs-Elysees (128km, flat)
History suggests that La Planche is a peak where only the most natural climber thrives. The winners of its three previous appearances in the Tour were Chris Froome, Vincenzo Nibali and Fabio Aru. Each time, the rider wearing yellow at the end of the stage went on to win the Tour.
The climb itself is long and steep – 8km at a gradient of 8.7% – and finishes at a brutal 24%. “The average time for the 10,000 athletes to have logged the climb on Strava is 35 mins 37 seconds,” says the head of UK Strava, Gareth Mills. ”Of these, 140 were professional cyclists, and the fastest was actually set by professional George Bennett [of Jumbo-Visma] in the 2017 Tour de France. His record is an incredible 17 minutes 24 seconds – meaning he will have finished the climb by the time an average cyclist is only halfway up the mountain.”
The stage is complicated by bonus seconds. In addition to the usual 10, six and four bonus seconds awarded to the day’s podium finishers, the climb that preceded La Planche also has bonus seconds available for the first to the top. Race organisers have set up the stage very deliberately to incentivise the best riders to attack.
It has the look of a compelling stage, one which will see the best riders in a fair fight. The race to the top of The Plank will be telling, and is perhaps the first piece of the puzzle revealing who will win this year’s Tour de France.
Ten contenders
Egan Bernal – Team Ineos’s co-leader won the Tour de Suisse and looks in good shape early in this race. He could lay down a marker here. ****
Geraint Thomas – His victory last year was built on brilliant summit victories but is he in the kind of shape to repeat those triumphs? ***
Steven Kruijswijk – Jumbo-Visma’s ultimate aim is to challenge the podium with Kruijswijk, and their strong team will be working hard to support him here. ***
Nairo Quintana – Has the ability and the experience to succeed on tough mountain stages like this one. ***
Thibaut Pinot – His handful of Grand Tour stage wins have come on difficult days like this one. **
Jakob Fuglsang – After such a sensational year he is the form rider, but his crash on stage one may still be having some effect. **
Vincenzo Nibali – Even Nibali doesn’t seem to know what shape he is in, but if he’s feeling good then he can mount a serious challenge. **
Adam Yates – Has never won a Grand Tour stage but has been gearing his year towards succeeding in the Tour’s toughest climbs. *
Alejandro Valverde – The world champion says he is in supreme shape for climbing this year, although this may be a few kilometres too much for the Tour veteran. *
Julian Alaphilippe – The yellow jersey will be tough to protect out of his comfort zone, but his is clearly in supreme shape. *
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