“The high stakes game of chess on wheels.”
The high stakes game of chess on wheels will be on full display.
Stuey's 2027 route review, October 2026
Stuart O'Grady OAM OLY
4 x Tour de France Stage Winner
Stage 8Road Stage10 July 2027
Stage 8: Bourges to Le Creusot
224km
3,100m elevation
| Stage | 8 |
|---|---|
| Type | Road Stage |
| Date | Saturday, 10 July 2027 |
| Route | Bourges → Le Creusot |
| Distance | 224 km |
| Elevation | 3,100 m |
Why This Stage Matters
It is the day before the first summit finish, and it is long enough and hard enough to hurt anyone who is not ready. Breakaway riders and puncheurs will see a chance. The overall contenders will see a day that can cost them the Tour if they switch off.
Bourges, European Capital of Culture in 2028, has started a Tour stage only once before, in 1973, when Barry Hoban won at Versailles. Le Creusot hosts for the fourth time, and it was here that Luis Ocaña took a decisive win at the 1973 Critérium du Dauphiné, weeks before he won the Tour.
The Route
The Race
At 224 km this is a long, gruelling day, and Christian Prudhomme warns of traps beyond the obvious climbs. A strong break is likely to go early, and how much room the peloton gives it will shape everything that follows.
The Morvan changes the tone. The Col de la Gravelle and the Côte de la Croix de la Libération, 4.6 km at 5.3%, wear the race down before the Signal d'Uchon, 5.7 km at 5.7%, tops out at 635 m inside the last 20 km. In 2021 the Uchon was where the stage was won and lost.
Teams can plan an attack for this one, but on a day like this the race tends to make its own decisions. Expect the general classification riders to watch each other closely on the final climb with the Grand Colombier coming the next day.
Stuey's Thoughts
Experience This Stage
Stand on the Signal d'Uchon. It is the last climb and the high point of the finale at 635 m, and the riders reach it after more than 200 km in the saddle. You will see who has the legs and who is hanging on.
Ride it the day before. Uchon is 5.7 km at a steady 5.7%, a climb most riders can enjoy, and paired with the Croix de la Libération it gives you a proper taste of the Morvan. Then head into Le Creusot for the finish on race day.
Key Climbs
- Col de la Gravelle
- Côte de la Croix de la Libération, 4.6 km at 5.3%
- Signal d'Uchon, 5.7 km at 5.7%, summit 635 m at km 206.5
Climb Profiles
Signal d'Uchon: 5.7 km at 5.7% to 635 m, the last climb before Le Creusot.
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