Stage 16: Carcassonne > Foix (July 19)

TOUR DE FRANCE STAGE 16:  HILLY

178.6 km (111 miles) / 3106m (10,190’)

CARCASSONNE>FOIX

PJAMM CYCLING INTERACTIVE PROFILE TOOL

See our 2022 Tour de France page for the best way to view, analyze, and filter Tour de France stage routes and climbs.

Official post-race summary for Stage 16 (July 19):

Hugo Houle became the first rider from Quebec and the second from Canada (after Steve Bauer, 1988) to win a Tour de France stage as he soloed to victory between Port de Lers and Mur de Péguère to take an emotional success in Foix as a tribute to his late brother. Valentin Madouas and Michael Woods rounded out the podium. Jonas Vingegaard retained the yellow jersey after he controlled Tadej Pogacar’s attacks.

Letour.fr - Stage 16

STAGE 16 DETAILS AND STATISTICS

• Distance: 178.6 kilometers / 111 miles
• Altitude Gained: 3,106 meters / 10,190’
• Percentage Grade:

• 47% (84 kilometers / 52 miles) descent
• 39% (69.5 kilometers / 43 miles) 0-5%
• 12% (21 kilometers / 13 miles) 5-10%
• 2% (3.6 kilometers / 2.2 miles) 10-15%

• Steepest (on Mur de Péguère ):

• 500 meters 14.2% / ¼ mile 14.4%
• 1 Kilometer 13.6% / 1 mile 13%

• Highest Point on the Route: 1,527 meters / 5,011’
• Lowest Point on the Route: 117 meters / 383’

COMMENTS FROM RACE DIRECTOR CHRISTIAN PRUDHOMME - STAGE 16:

“The first day in the Pyrenees could be a good moment for breakaway riders... provided that they’re well equipped to deal with the mountains, of course. To celebrate victory in Foix, the riders will first have to deal with the climb to the Port de Lers and then make their move on the Mur de Péguère. The 20 or so kilometres from the summit towards the administrative centre of the Ariège aren’t particularly testing” (Tour de France Stage 16).

THE CLIMBS OF STAGE 16 OF THE 2021 TOUR DE FRANCE

Letour.fr - Stage 16

CLIMB 1 (CAT 4)

CÔTE DE SAINT-HILAIRE 

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CLIMB 2 (CAT 3)

COL DE L'ESPINAS

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CLIMB 3 (CAT 1)

PORT DE LERS

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CLIMB 4 (CAT 1)

MUR DE PÉGUÈRE

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Letour.fr - Stage 16

EXPLANATION OF KING OF MOUNTAIN, KOM POINTS AND BONUS POINTS

FOR THE 2021 TOUR DE FRANCE

KOM DEFINED:  Climb-related points are accumulated during the race and the rider with the most accumulated points at the beginning of the stage wears the red polka dot jersey that day and the rider with the most points at the end of the race is crowned that year’s Tour de France King of the Mountains.

“Category”:  When the mountain classification (King of the Mountains) was introduced in 1933, there were points given to the first 10 riders over the summit (10 for first, 1 for 10th).  In 1947, the Tour introduced two climb “categories” with a certain amount of points for the second category and twice as many as for the first category.  Over the years “categories” were added, in addition to an “Above” category (Hors or HC) and since 1979 there have been an HC (hardest), Category 1 (second hardest) on down to Category 4 (least difficult climb).

The category of the climb is significant for 2 reasons:

• The points awarded for the TdF KOM for each climb is based upon the category of climb - thus, “category” is the basis for the points that are used to determine each year’s King of the Mountains.
• Most cycling fans, particularly Grand Tour fans, are very interested in the climb “category” because that tells them how hard each climb on a stage is and where the riders will struggle more and the point in a stage where that day, or even the entire tour, will be won or lost.

KOM HISTORY:  King of the Mountains -- Mountain Classification victories (first recognized in 1933; jersey introduced 1975)

• TdF:

• Richard Virenque: 7 - 1994-1997, 1999, 2003, 2004 (best tour finish #2 1997)
• Frederico Bahamontes (six: 1954, 1958, 1959, 1962, 1963, 1964; nine in Grand Tours)  

• Triples (none ever in the same year):  Frederico Bahamontes and Louis Herrera.
• Doubles same year (TdF+Giro):  Fausto Coppi, Charly Gaul, Lucien Van Impe, Claudio Chaippucci

POINTS:  KOM points are awarded in two ways on the Tour de France:

•  To riders first over the summit of categorized climbs (in descending order HC, 1-4).  

• The higher the category the more riders receive points (HC points are awarded to 8 riders while CAT 4 points are awarded to only 1 rider).

• Bonus point (see below).

TDF POINTS FORMULA:

Wikipedia has the best summary and graph we’ve seen for TdF KOM points distribution:

he points gained by consecutive riders reaching a mountain top are distributed according to the following classification:

Wikipedia - Mountains Classification - Tour de France

BONUS POINTS:  These points go towards the King of the Mountain designation and are awarded to the first (8 points), second (5) and third (2) riders reaching designated summits in the race.  

• There are no KOM bonuses in the 2022 Tour de France.

MONEY PRIZES FOR KING OF THE MOUNTAINS

• Prize for first to eighth place:

• Winner = €25,000
• 2nd = €15,000
• 3rd = €10,000
• 4th = €4,000
• 5th = €3,500
• 6th = €3,000
• 7th = €2,500
• 8th = €2,000

• Daily prize for wearing the Polka Dot jersey = €6,000
• Per category climb:

• HC

• 1st = €800
• 2nd = €450
• 3rd = €300

• Cat 1

• 1st = €650
• 2nd = €400
• 3rd = €150

• Cat 2

• 1st = €500
• 2nd = €250

• Cat 3

• 1st = €300

• Cat 4

• 1st = €200

• Sourvenir Henri Desgrange €5000 first to Col du Galibier pass Stage 11.

The maximum amount the KOM winner could earn if he won every stage and wore the jersey from Stage 2 to the finish is $60,300 Euros (62,773 USD)