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The Tour de France riders will not have time to savor the delights of the Bagnères-de-Luchon thermal bath in the bucolic spa town that hosts the start of Wednesday's brutal sprint through the Pyrenees.
The day of suffering platoon on an unusually short but very hard special ending at the summit of Col du Portet, which rises to 2215 meters altitude.
Here is a gastronomic, sporting and cultural look on the way to Step 17: [19659002] BAGUETTE AND BUTTER: Just 65 kilometers (40.4 miles), the stage 17 is the shortest stage of the Tour time trial in the last 30 years. It features a final exhausting climb of 16 kilometers at an average gradient of nearly 9 percent. It will be a non-stop climbing from the start, with two category 1 climbs before the last ascent, and over 38 kilometers of climbing in total on the day's menu. The tour organizers will also test a Formula 1 grid start. The top 20 in the standings will start with the yellow jersey holder in pole position, while the underdogs will start in four other groups behind.
FLAT OF THE DAY: Want to share one of the best and sweetest hams in Europe? Opt for a plate of Black Bigorre ham. True gluttony, it is made from black pigs fed grbad, cereals and acorns.
WINE OF THE DAY: There are not many vineyards in the Pyrenees but the winemakers installed on the foothills of the chain produce an excellent white that remains relatively unknown. With grapes harvested by hand, Pacherenc du Vic-Bilh can be either dry or sweet, depending on when the grapes are picked.
HISTORY: Known as "The Queen of the Pyrenees", the city of Luchon houses sumptuous villas of the Belle Epoque and baths built in the Roman era. According to legend, a soldier from Pompey's legions suffered from a debilitating skin condition but recovered completely after being plunged into Luchon's waters for three weeks. In 1930, local authorities inaugurated a natural Turkish bath – with galleries over 150 meters long – and the Vaporarium remains popular to this day.
STATUS OF DAY: 93.4 – In kilometers per hour, the top of Julian Alaphilippe speed in the descent leading to the finish line in Bagneres-de-Luchon, where the Frenchman won his second victory on the Tour Tuesday.
QUOTE OF THE DAY: "Have I made any farmer near Carcbadonne?" Will never understand them, so it's better not to say anything. "Tom Dumoulin, third, reacting to the demonstration of the farmers who interrupted step 16.
DESSERT: Cake on the spit: A multilayer cake cooked on a spit on charcoal
Next order: The 18th stage of Thursday will offer a little respite for the platoon after two difficult hikes in the mountains.The 171-kilometer stage between Trie-sur-Baise and Pau is mainly flat and could allow the victory of a sprinter
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Andrew Dampf and Ciaran Fahey, authors of the badociated press
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