Étapes always take on mountain stages, but this, the 32nd running of the event, was a particularly challenging one, taking in many of our favourite cols – Braus, Turini, la Colmiane and Couillole – and climbing more than 4,600 metres in only 138 kilometres. Luckily, many of the MVC members had just been on a cycling boot camp in the Cévennes hills of south-central France – this was the moment for the training to pay off! As for the pros, they will be riding this parcours on 20 July with 19 previous Tour stages in their legs, including the climb to the Cime de la Bonette, the highest road in France, the previous day.