Limoges-St.Flour Etape du Tour 2004

Τhe route of 2004 Etape du Tour. In the actual stage one week later, the winner was Richard Virenque after a long break and after dropping Axel Merckx in the steepest section of the penultimate difficulty the Pas-de-Peyrol.

Actually these last 2Kms were gruesome during the Etape du Tour. It's more than 11% steep and many competitors walked their way up (thus producing traffic jam). The descent after (towards Dienne), was a little dangerous with enough gravel by both sides of the road.

The last climb is Plomb du Cantal, a rolling 8 Kms climb.

Although it took place on mid-July, in the early Kms there were fog in some places and a temperature as low as 8 degrees. Later though it was warm enough and the scenery in the middle of the route was beautiful enough with 1-2 artificial lakes.