What to Expect from Stage 13 of the 2024 Tour de France

 

Stage 13 of the 2024 Tour de France will travel from Agen to Pau over a distance of 165.3 kilometers. Agen is a commune of 34,000 residents located in the Lot-et-Garonne department in Nouvelle-Aquitaine, southwestern France. It lies along the banks of the Garonne River, 135 kilometres southeast of Bordeaux. Pau is a charming city located in southwestern France as well, serving as the prefecture of the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region. The city of 77,000 is situated 100 km from the Atlantic Ocean and 50 km from the Spanish border, located on the Gare de Pau River overlooking the Pyrenees mountains, offering stunning panoramic views. It is also former capital of the historic principality of Béarn.

Pau is a frequent Tour de France host, appearing for the 63rd time as a stage finish. The last time a road stage finished in Pau was in 2018, when Arnaud Démare (Arkea-B&B Hotels) won the sprint. The route passes through picturesque areas like Poudénas, known for its 13th-century château, and Nogaro, which hosted a stage finish on its motor racing circuit in the 2023 Tour.

The stage is mostly flat with some rolling terrain, featuring a few hills in the final 40 kilometers. There are two key climbs, the Category 4 Côte de Blachon (1.5km at 6.9%) at the 127 mark and the Côte de Simacourbe (1.8km at 6.4%), which is also a Category 4 climb, 136.6 km into the stage. Before these two climbs, there is an intermediate sprint at the 88.5 km mark.

Stage 13 is likely to end in a bunch sprint, though the hilly terrain near the finish could pose challenges for some sprinters. It will sets the scene for the upcoming mountain stages in the Pyrenees, offering a potentially exciting finish for the sprinters before the terrain becomes more challenging. While Biniam Girmay (Intermarché–Wanty) has been blowing away the sprint field with three stage victories thus far, include the last stage, other riders will be chomping at the bit to show that they can beat out the powerful and poised Intermarché–Wanty rider.