Expect Le Tour fireworks on Bastille Day
It's all to race for, as Chris Froome looks to win back the yellow jersey
Defending Tour de France champion Chris Froome has admitted 'the race is on', after surprisingly giving up the yellow jersey to Fabio Aru at the end of Stage 12.
It is only the second time Froome has lost the yellow jersey. He gave it up to Tony Martin in 2015, but all three of his victories have seen him grab the maillot jaune early in the race and wear it all the way to Paris.
Not that it will be easy to take it back instantly. Short, but brutal - that is probably the best way to describe the 13th stage of the 104th Tour de France, which takes riders just 101km from Saint Girons to Foix on Bastille Day.
After the long pull of the 213km stage 12, this - other than the time trials - is the shortest stage of this year's race - but it includes three category 1 climbs, including the savage Mur de Péguère, which features sections that have leg-sapping inclines of 18%.
After today's stage, riders have two more days of racing before enjoying a well-earned rest day.
On Saturday, they will race 181.5km from Blagnac to Rodez. Although it looks relatively flat - certainly after the mountain stages - for the most part, numerous little valleys are likely to drain the energy from riders' legs before what looks set to be a granstand finish at Côte Saint-Pierre.
Sunday's 189km stage features a gruelling 50km section at more than 1,000m altitude, which is guaranteed to sort the challengers from the also-rans. Those who survive that test in decent shape then have the climb up to the Col de Peyra Taillade, with its gradients of 14% to look forward to - before reaching the finish at Le Puy-en-Velay, and the prospect of a day off.
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