With the announcement of Kazakhstan rider Alexandre Vinokourov's positive test for homologous blood-doping — the illegal injection of an other person's red blood cells — Tour de France organizers may have a more difficult task at hand than the severity of any of the race's mountain.
Nevertheless, with the pending departure of the Vinokourov and his Astana team, the race will go on. And after Tuesday's rest day, Wednesday's stage 16 will likely unfold dramatically as the last mountain stage of the 2007 event.
Riders will pedal 218.5 kilometers (135.7 miles) from Orthez-Courette to Col d'Aubisque. The stage, which will briefly enter Spain, will include four categorized climbs, including the final two hors categorie (above category) climbs of this year's race.
Here are the details of the stage 16 climbs:
79 kilometers, Port de Larrau, 14.7 kilometers, 8.1 percent average grade, hors catégorie. 93 kilometers, Alto Laza, 3.5 kilometers, 6.8 percent average grade, category 3. 131 kilometers, Col de la Pierre-Saint-Martin, 14.2 kilometers, 5.2 perfect average grade, category 1. 180.5 kilometers, Col de Marie-Blanque, 9.3 kilometers, 7.4 percent average grade, category 1. 218.5: Col d'Aubisque, 16.7 kilometers, 7 percent grade, 7 percent average grade, hors catégorie.
The first of the above category efforts, the Port de Larrau, will occur in Spain. And any mountain climb in Spain during the Tour means one thing: The Basque fans will be present in full force, all wearing orange in support riders from the Euskaltet
-Euskadi team, and all nearly rabid. The roads will be packed tight with fans, and it's likely not all will go smoothly.
Other Spanish riders will get strong support, too, and it could be a stage in which Alejandro Valverde (Caiss d'Epargne) of Spain tries one last time for a day's glory and to move closer into top-10 from his current 11th place overall placement, pending the official departure of the Astana squad.
If another Spaniard, Alberto Contador (Discovery Channel), and race leader Michael Rasmussen (Rabobank) of Denmark are together nearing the final stretches of the Col d'Aubisque, the final mountain test of the Tour should have all the qualities of a great sporting competition.
The Col d'Aubisque, which crests at 1,709 meters (5,607 feet) has been part of the Tour more than 60 times dating to 1910. But this will be the first time a stage has ended on the longer western summit. From the east, a stage finish at the mythical mountain has occurred only twice with slight variations. In 1971, Frenchman Bernard Labourdette was victorious by 1:31 over Eddy Merckx of Belgium. And in 1985, Irishman Stephen Roche won stage to the Aubisque finish by one-minute over compatriot Sean Kelly.
Nevertheless, with the pending departure of the Vinokourov and his Astana team, the race will go on. And after Tuesday's rest day, Wednesday's stage 16 will likely unfold dramatically as the last mountain stage of the 2007 event.