“Even a small mistake can cost a rider the race.”
By the third week recovery becomes critical, and even a small mistake can cost a rider the race.
Stuey's 2027 route review, October 2026
Stuart O'Grady OAM OLY
4 x Tour de France Stage Winner
Stage 20Road Stage24 July 2027
Stage 20: Maubourguet to Libourne
198km
| Stage | 20 |
|---|---|
| Type | Road Stage |
| Date | Saturday, 24 July 2027 |
| Route | Maubourguet → Libourne |
| Distance | 198 km |
Why This Stage Matters
The mountains are done, which makes this a stage for everyone else. The sprinters want it, the breakaway riders want it, and the teams without a stage win are running out of days.
It is also the last long day in the saddle. Prudhomme describes the difficulties as moderate, then adds that after three weeks of racing it might not seem like that. Tired legs make a flat stage unpredictable.
The Route
The Race
From Maubourguet, near the Madiran vineyards at the foot of the Pyrenees, the route heads north on undulating, winding roads. Controlling attackers on those roads takes work, and the sprint teams will need to commit early.
The finish into Libourne is a final straight of roughly 6 km. That suits a lead out train with numbers, but it also gives a strong breakaway a long look at the line, and Mohorič showed in 2021 that Libourne rewards the brave.
Stuey's Thoughts
Experience This Stage
Libourne is a royal bastide on the Dordogne, close to Saint-Émilion and Pomerol. The finish comes in the afternoon, which leaves the evening for the vineyards.
Maubourguet last started a stage in 2014 and will turn out for this one. Two time Paris-Roubaix winner Gilbert Duclos-Lassalle comes from neighbouring Lembeye, and these roads host the Tour du Piémont Pyrénéen. Ride them in the morning before the race rolls out.
Key Points
- Start in Maubourguet, in the Hautes-Pyrénées
- Undulating, winding roads north out of the Pyrenees
- Final straight of roughly 6 km into Libourne
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