Because of the risk of rockfalls on 4km of the original route over the Col de Larche from Digne-les-Bains, the start of stage 15 was moved north to Embrun (population 6,700). This has shortened the stage and given it a much tougher beginning. After 25km, the course climbs out of Guillestre and soon enters a narrow canyon and gradually climbs to the village of Château-Queyras, and the early slopes of the mighty Col Agnel (Agnello in Italian). This mountain soars to 9,000 feet on a 20.5km-long climb that averages 6.6 percent, with pitches as steep as 12.3 percent in the difficult final 5km. The 30km descent is followed by a flat 75km trek across the plains of Piedmont to the 16km finishing climb to the Italian ski resort of Prato Nevoso (population 2,400), which averages 8 percent for the final 8km.