Tour de France Stage 17 Preview
WEDNESDAY, JULY 20TH – STAGE 17- 184.5km
Profile Berne / Finhaut-Emosson 184.5KM
Mountain passes & hills Berne / Finhaut-Emosson 184.5KM
- Km 72.5 – Côte de Saanenmöser6.6 kilometre-long climb at 4.8% – category 3
- Km 105.0 – Col des Mosses6.4 kilometre-long climb at 4.4% – category 3
- Km 166.5 – Col de la Forclaz (1 527 m)13 kilometre-long climb at 7.9% – category 1
- Km 184.5 – FINHAUT-EMOSSON (1 960 m)10.4 kilometre-long climb at 8.4% – category H
Intermediate sprint Berne / Finhaut-Emosson 184.5KM
- Km 150.0 – MARTIGNY
Berne
The cycling peloton has its habits in Berne that often welcomes the Tour de Suisse.
The last winner here, Tom Dumoulin symbolized a sort of renewal when he claimed the final time-trial stage in 2015, beating Fabian Cancellara who had already triumphed three times in stages taking place in his hometown. Further back in time, a stage of the 1941 Tour de Suisse in Berne had seen the success of a future winner of the Tour, Ferdi Kübler (1950), oldest winner of the race still alive.
Stage town for the 1st time County town in the canton of Berne The canton of Berne comprises 352 communes 1,009,000 inhabitants within the canton of BerneEconomy: Berne with its historic UNESCO World Heritage-classified old city, the Alps, the Emmental with its cheese, Biel and the Bernese Jura with their traditional watchmaking industry (Longines, Omega, Rado, Rolex, Swatch) and specialised manufacturing companies (airline seats at Lantal Textiles or bicycle spokes at DT Swiss, the world leader in the sector)
Nature and tourism: The canton of Berne is one of Switzerland’s most diverse regions and offers world-renowned natural treasures and culture. The massif that features the famous peaks of the Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau is completely unique and can be visited in all seasons
Sport: Events: Swiss Open Gstaad (tennis), Skiing World Cup (Adelboden and Lauberhorn), European Artistic Gymnastics Championships, European Beach Volleyball Championships
Specialities: Berner Platte (meat, sauerkraut, green beans and potatoes), rösti (potato pancake), Emmental cheese, Bernese braid (brioche), Mandelbärli (bear-shaped almond pastries), Bernese gingerbread, Emmental meringues
Slogan: Berne, the most diverse Swiss canton for tourists
The Finish:
Finhaut-Emosson
Common of the Canton of Valais, Finhaut is mainly known since the construction of the last major Swiss dam, on the Plateau d’Emosson. The superb lake that it created is supplied by the water of the Tour glacier on the Mont-Blanc mountain.
That certainly looks like an invitation to the peloton that has already come here for the Tour de Suisse, the Tour de l’Avenir and a stage of the 2014 Critérium du Dauphiné that ended with the stage success of Lieuwe Westra.
Stage location for the 1st time Emosson Dam faces Mont Blanc Finhaut, mountain resort, member of the Espace Mont Blanc organisation 445 inhabitants (Fignolins), 335,000 inhabitants within the canton of Valais
Economy: Hydroelectric power industry (two dams, an underground pumping and turbine plant, an electrical generation and storage plant), Espace Mont Blanc (cross-border cooperation initiative linking 35 communes in Valais, Savoie, Haute-Savoie and the Aosta Valley via bridleways), tourism, VerticAlp Emosson (three railways combine to carry visitors up to the Emosson nature area at 1965m)
Culture: Notre-Dame de l’Assomption Church (1929, example of 20th century religious in Valais), grand hotels (late 19th century), Victoria Art Gallery, singing and drum company, dinosaur remains (800 footprints dating back more than 200 million years). Festivals: Festival et Académie Orgues (organ music), Musiques et Cimes (music), Cosmo Jazz Festival, A Bloc Festival (climbing and other outdoor activities)
Sport: Skiing, walking, climbing, road and mountain biking, fishing, shooting
Specialities: Fondue and raclette valaisanne (melted cheese dish), Valais platter (sausage, dried meat, cheese, AOC rye bread), Valais apricots, Morand apricot brandy
Sustainable development: Mont Blanc Express train linking Martigny to Chamonix and St Gervais, more than 200km of marked hiking trails in the Trient Valley
Slogan: Valais Excellence!
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