After a flat Stage 7 that favored the sprinters, Stage 8 will take the peloton into the Jura mountains of eastern France.
Stage 8 will depart from the commune of Dole covering 187.5 kilometers and taking riders over three major mountain passes before the finish in the French commune of Les Rousses on the Swiss border.
The stage will began at an altitude of only 244 meters above sea level, but riders will begin to make their ascent into the mountains not long after their departure.
Riders will start climbing 28 kilometers into the stage, beginning in the town of Arbois. 45 kilometers after their departure, the field will reach the only intermediate sprint checkpoint of the day in the town of Montrond. The points up for grabs in Montrond could be valuable to a multitude of riders in the peloton looking to claim the green points classification jersey, and we will likely see a contested bunch sprint to the line.
After Montrond, riders will cover another 50 kilometers before coming to the first of their first major climb of the day.
The climb up the Col de la Joux is a category 3 climb, which covers 6.1 kilometers at an average gradient of 4.7%. The summit of the Col de la Joux will be the second highest of the day, taking riders above 1000 meters to 1043 meters above sea level.
The field will descend from the Col de la Joux, a little over halfway through the stage, and travel 30 kilometers before beginning their second major climb.
The climb up the Cote de Viry will not take riders to the same altitude of the Col de la Joux, but the Cote de Viry will challenge riders just at much as this category 2 climb lasts for 7.6 kilometers at an average gradient of 5.2%.
24 kilometers from the finish in Les Rousses, the riders will face their final, and most difficult climb of the stage. The final climb to the summit of les Montee de la Combe de Laisia Les Molunes will cover a breathtaking 11.7 kilometers at an average gradient of 6.2%, reaching an altitude of over 1200 meters. This category 1 climb will undoubtedly be a stage for the pure climbers to attack, and the general classification contenders to hold on and finish at the front of the peloton.
This year's Italian National Road Race champion and Stage 5 winner Fabio Aru (Astana) will likely be looking to show off his climbing prowess once again, and possibly seek to take the yellow jersey from the current overall race leader and defending champion Chris Froome (Team Sky). Aru currently sits in third place in the general classification, only 14 seconds back of Froome. Aru also holds the polka dot jersey as the mountains classification leader.
Roman Bardet (AG2R La Mondiale) is another rider who we may see attacking for a stage victory on Stage 8. Bardet finished runner-up to Froome at last year's Tour de France, and currently sits in 7th place in the general classification. Bardet is a proven climber who undoubtedly has aspirations to take the yellow jersey at the Tour this year after coming agonizingly close last year. Bardet has slowly been able to move up the general classification at this year's Tour, and has looked relaxed through the first seven stages. The French rider has a solid chance of wearing the Maillot Jaune in Paris this year, and a victory on Stage 8 could be a statement to the rest of the field for Bardet and AG2R La Mondiale.
Other riders to watch closely on Stage 8 will be Dan Martin (Quick-Step Floors), Simon Yates (Orica-Scott), Richie Porte (BMC), and Alberto Contador (Trek-Segafredo).
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