Today from Bicycling Magazine: The 6 can't miss stages of the Tour De France. At Number 2 -- the stage I'm climbing into Arcalis!
Stage 7: July 10, Barcelona to Andorra Arcalis*Distance: 224kmMountaintop finishThe longest mountain stage in the Tour features only two climbs, but the finish at Arcalis is deceptively difficult. The only previous finish here, in 1997, saw Jan Ullrich destroy climbers Marco Pantani and Richard Virenque, so the ascent seems better suited to powerful rhythm climbers than to those who favor explosive attacks. THE BETTING LINE: The final climb plays to the strengths of riders such as Liquigas's Ivan Basso, Evans and Armstrong. Don't count out Contador, however—he has the chops to both motor smoothly and put in stunning attacks. *Watching the Tour in person? Buy your champagne here—the tiny nation of Andorra enjoys duty-free status.
Stage 7: July 10, Barcelona to Andorra Arcalis*Distance: 224kmMountaintop finishThe longest mountain stage in the Tour features only two climbs, but the finish at Arcalis is deceptively difficult. The only previous finish here, in 1997, saw Jan Ullrich destroy climbers Marco Pantani and Richard Virenque, so the ascent seems better suited to powerful rhythm climbers than to those who favor explosive attacks. THE BETTING LINE: The final climb plays to the strengths of riders such as Liquigas's Ivan Basso, Evans and Armstrong. Don't count out Contador, however—he has the chops to both motor smoothly and put in stunning attacks. *Watching the Tour in person? Buy your champagne here—the tiny nation of Andorra enjoys duty-free status.Finish: Andorre Arcalis (HC Climb) Location: 42.62436°, 1.47912° 10.6km (6.57 mi) at a 7.1% grade. 
WHAT are you doing up at 3:51AM? - Oh-I was up too ('cause of a storm). I don't know Vic-those guys sound like they will have problems with the climb. Can a girl from the flatlands of Columbus OH do it? YES SHE CAN!!
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