Wednesday's Stage 16 takes the riders from Pau to Bagnères-de-Luchon and covers 197 kilometers. This particular route features four major climbs, starting with the Col d'Aubisque, which confronts the competitors about 41 kilometers into the stage. The riders will peak the final climb around the 181.5 km-mark, leading to a descent into the finish line.
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On today's menu, a 197 km classic succession of great Pyrenean cols: the Aubisque, Tourmalet, Col d'Aspin and Peyresourde. As Christian Prudhomme said, a mere four days from the finish, this stage will turn the thumbscrews on the peloton! Moreover, such a course is exactly my idea of a true mountain stage: not with a summit finish, which tends to lock up the race a bit, but an up-and-down course which calls for a mastery of all aspects of cycling.
Related: 2012 Tour de France Results: Garmin-Sharp Places 2 In Top 10 On Stage 15
A map of the stage can be found at the Tour's Stage 16 page.
NBC Sports Network coverage begins at 4:30 a.m. MT.
SB Nation Denver is your source for 2012 Tour de France updates on Team Garmin-Sharp, and be sure to visit cycling blog Podium Cafe as well.
