Route analysis
The profile, the gradients and how to pace every climb, from a coach who prepares riders for the Étape du Tour every year.
Profile based on the official Étape du Tour 2027 profile, subject to change. Numbers 1 to 5: the five climbs analysed below.
The climbs
The first climb, straight from the start on cold legs: 15.9 km at 7%. The trap of the day, everyone starts too fast. Stay at tempo (85 to 90% of FTP) and start eating at the foot.
From La Clusaz, 7.2 km at 5.5%: the most rolling climb of the day. Stay in active endurance to recover from the Colombière and eat solid food. Do not get dragged along by group pace.
Short but steep: 5.1 km at 8.2% after the long, often hot valley from Thônes to Ugine. Ride at threshold without going over and fill your bottles before the foot: the big one is coming.
The decisive climb: 12.6 km at 7.8% up to 1,748 m, the highest point of the stage, then the Col du Méraillet above Lake Roselend. Ride below threshold in a small gear and eat before the foot: a pacing mistake here is paid for on Bisanne.
The hardest finale: 12.4 km at 8.3% from Villard-sur-Doron, after almost 140 km. Fit a very low gear, split the climb into thirds and only push in the last one: from the summit, just 4 km remain to Les Saisies.
Race strategy
The first kilometres go fast, and so does the excitement. Stay below threshold on the first climb, even if people pass you: the day is decided on the last climb.
Pace by power or heart rate, not by speed. When the road steepens, spin your legs instead of surging.
Aim for 60 to 90 g of carbohydrate per hour, tested in training, and 500 to 750 ml of fluid per hour depending on the heat. A bonk starts two hours before you feel it.
That is where you recover, drink and eat. Put a layer on at the summit if the air is cool, and keep a margin: taking risks gains you nothing.
The finish is at altitude. Everything you save in the valleys and on the early climbs, you get back on the final climb.
Write the cut-off times on your stem. Knowing them stops you panicking, and from burning matches for nothing when you are well inside the limits.
Extra services
How much carbohydrate do you burn on a climb at threshold? How much fluid do you lose at 30 °C? The Metabolic Scan answers these questions in the lab, so you can apply these six rules with your own numbers.
Locations and kilometres published in the official rider guide.
Cut-off times and the minimum pace needed to stay ahead of the broom wagon.
A plan built for these climbs, your pace on each one and your race-day fuelling plan.
State-qualified cycling coach (DEJEPS) · Former elite racer · Over 200 riders coached since 2017
