| Stage | 13 |
|---|---|
| Type | Road Stage |
| Date | Friday, 16 July 2027 |
| Route | Aubenas → Montpellier |
| Distance | 164 km |
This is the sprinters' day before a hard weekend. Saturday climbs to Mende, Sunday packs climb after climb into the road to Albi, and neither suits the fast men. Their teams know this is the one to take.
It is also a stage where the weather can matter more than the terrain. On the run down to the Mediterranean, crosswinds can split a bunch that looked comfortable an hour earlier.
The stage starts in Aubenas, a Tour town for the third time, where Mark Cavendish won in 2009 two days before his first Champs-Élysées victory. A few bumps slow the riders down, but the elevation gain is limited and the day is built for the sprint teams to control.
Prudhomme warns that the Mistral and the Tramontane could turn the race upside down. If they blow, expect echelons on the open roads towards the coast. If they don't, expect a bunch sprint on the new city centre finish in Montpellier.
“The Tour is never won on one climb alone.”
From my experience, the Tour is never won on one climb alone. It is won through three weeks of smart racing, strong teamwork, resilience and the ability to seize the right opportunity when it comes.
Stuey's 2027 route review, October 2026
Stuart O'Grady OAM OLY
4 x Tour de France Stage Winner
Montpellier is a big, lively city with a long Tour history: Charles Pélissier won here on the city's debut in 1930, and Robert Hunter became the first African stage winner here in 2007. The new finish in the city centre puts the sprint right in the middle of town.
Aubenas, at the start, is a small Ardèche town and a quieter place to see the riders roll out. For anyone travelling with the race, Montpellier is a good night in the south before the climb to Mende the next day.
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