There aren’t very many stretches of flat road on this short, tortuous trek across the hills and valleys of the Cantal region between the ancient towns of Brioude (population 7,200) and Aurillac (population 30,000). The two categorized climbs in the first half of the stage, along with many other short hills, will soften up the peloton before the rugged final 70km. This stretch opens with the Cat. 2 climbs of Entremont and Puy Mary (7.8km at 6.2 percent), which are followed by a long dangerous descent on very narrow roads before a short, winding Cat. 3 hill that crests just 9km from the finish.