This was the shortest road stage, but was very tough. The climbing started from the outset, with two small climbs in the first 25 km before, from 75 kilometres out, tackling the Cormet de Roselend (19 km at 6%), the Montée d'Hauteville - the start of the Col du Petit Saint-Bernard - and the climb up to Tignes (18 km at 5.5%) for a very difficult finish at a height of 2068 m.