On day three of the Tour de France, the peloton heads to France. But to get from Spain to France, the riders must first cross the Pyrenees. And so a tough stage with no less than 4,000 meters of climbing awaits. Whether there will actually be major shifts in the general classification remains to be seen.

Monday’s third stage still starts in Granollers, a small town north of Barcelona. Over gently rolling roads, the peloton heads toward the Pyrenees. Early in the stage, the Sant Feliu de Codines (7.6 kilometers at 4.5%) must be climbed. The ascent is not too difficult, but it is an ideal moment for an early breakaway to gain a solid lead over the peloton.

Only in the second half of the stage does the climbing resume. After nearly 120 kilometers, the riders begin the toughest climb of the day on paper: the Collada de Toses (9.3 kilometers at 6.5%). After a long descent, the riders reach France for the final part of the stage.

Awaiting the peloton is the Col du Calvaire, an uncategorized but long climb of 14.9 kilometers. With gradients around 3 to 4 percent, this climb should not cause major damage. In the final phase of the stage, the riders climb toward Lac de Matemale, where the final ascent to Les Angles (1.7 kilometers at 7.6%) begins. In these uphill kilometers, explosive riders may still be able to force something.