By Simon Warren

Stage two | 196km | Wincobank | Rating: 7/10

If the organisers wanted to find the perfect finale, one so savage it would remain etched into the peloton's legs for the remainder of the race, then they found it here.

Bearing more than a passing resemblance to the famous Côte de Saint Nicolas in Liège, this killer incline looks set to decide the owner of the second yellow jersey of this year’s race.

With a dead turn at the base it's almost impossible to carry any momentum onto the arrow-straight and instantly steep opening 200 metres. The wide, smooth road then begins to bank slightly right on its 20% slope towards what will soon be an infamous corner.

Maxing out at over 25% (some say 30%) it bends left and continues remorselessly steep to the next, this time sweeping corner where once you've exited the slope thankfully eases.

Next heading right you're not finished yet as there's one final kick, a 50-metre push to the summit of a truly inspired end to a brilliant stage.

Factfile

Where Start the climb by turning abruptly north west from Tyler Street, the B6082 onto

Jenkin road.

Grid ref SK 381 913 (OS110)

Length 800m

Height gain 94m

Approx climb time 5 mins

By Simon Warren

Stage two | 182km | Oughtibridge | Rating: 7/10

Forming a bridge between the Strines and the city of Sheffield, Oughtibridge Lane, or the Jawbone as it's also known, could prove the most decisive climb of the whole two days.

Kicking up from the centre of the village it's long enough, hard enough and with the amount of climbing already in the legs, tough enough to cause some real damage. The gradient increases steadily up to 15% as the road bends slightly left to funnel across a narrow stone bridge before continuing between high stone walls.

Now bending right you head for a brow that for all the world looks like the top, yet once crossed reveals much more climbing ahead. You're now into the last open country of the stage and the slope eases a little before ramping right to another false summit.

On and on it climbs, weaving left and right towards the ridge on the horizon, and the finale comes via a sweeping right-hand bend that gets tougher as it straightens then finishes with a sharp left-hand corner to the summit.

Factfile

Where The climb starts as you head east away from the A6102 that runs through the centre of Oughtibridge.

Grid ref SK 325 935 (OS110)

Length 1600m

Height gain 156m

Approx climb time 8 mins

By Simon Warren

Stage two | 143km | Holmfirth | Rating: 7/10

I originally rated this climb a 5/10. What was I thinking! Returning to ride it for the first time in five years I can only conclude that I must have had a huge tail wind, as it’s definitely a seven.

Holme Moss won’t decide the winner of the day’s stage but it will shake things up and could provide the launch pad for a serious attack.

Leaving Holmfirth on the A6024 you climb hard through Hinchcliffe Mill and Holmbridge, but I measure the actual ascent of Holme Moss from the small bridge just past the exit of Holme.

Being a major route across the Pennines the road is wide, well surfaced and covered with warning signs. You’re bombarded with signals to slow, arrows marking direction and more usefully, markers counting down the distance to the exposed summit.

Starting from one mile to go, these marks on the road will take you all the way to the 'finish line' acting as carrots to aim for as you grind, or if you've good legs, spin up the solid, unrelenting 10-12% gradient.

Factfile

Where head east from the centre of Holmfirth on the A6024. Pass through the villages of Holmbridge and Holme then begin to climb as the road bends left over a bridge.

Grid ref SE 097 036 (OS110)

Length 2235m

Height gain 204m

Approx climb time 11 mins

By Simon Warren

Stage two | 112km | Ripponden | Rating: 4/10

Ripponden Bank has been a popular hill-climb course for many years so it's fitting it finds a place on this hilliest of stages.

Known to local cyclists and hill-climb specialists as the V999, its stinging 1,300 metres are a substantial challenge to ride at race pace, but as the climb is so early in the stage don't expect the pros to tackle it full-bore.

Beginning by leaving the A58 heading south, you swoop down onto the B6113 so build up as much speed as you can and try and use that momentum to get you as close to the upcoming 90-degree bend as you can.

Once you've reached it the steepest climbing is behind you, but you'll hardly notice the difference as the road still steep, straightens, then kinks right to climb up through some houses and then on past the Fleece Inn on the left.

Resisting the urge to sample their hospitality, push on for the summit, past the junction with Stainland Road to the point where the climb levels out.

Factfile

Where Head south from the centre of Ripponden on the B6113, from the junction with the A672, then start the climb as the road rises.

Grid ref SE 050 200 (OS104)

Length 1300m

Height gain 117m

Approx climb time 7 mins

By Simon Warren

Stage two | 98km | Mytholmroyd | Rating: 6/10

Even though it’s the longest continuous uphill gradient in England, Cragg Vale isn’t the toughest climb the peloton with face on their two days in Yorkshire.

Leaving Mytholmroyd, passing the sign boasting of the climb’s credentials, the slope is very gentle at first then kicks up slightly as you enter Cragg Vale itself.

The further you progress through the village, the tougher it gets and the hardest part of the climb comes as you finally escape the protection of the houses.

Here though is where the weather could play a part. If there’s a strong south-westerly blowing across the moor we could see the entire field lined out in the gutter, grovelling up the slight gradient just trying to hold the wheel in front, so here’s hoping.

On a calm day however, the consistently mild incline, set in an almost dead straight line, apart from a single slight right-left dog-leg towards its peak, will do little to trouble the world’s best.

Factfile

Where The base of Cragg Vale lies in Mytholmroyd. Leave the A646 in the centre of the town and head south on the B6138. Ride over the river, under the rail bridge then follow the road to the right.

Grid ref SD 975 180 (OS104)

Length 9160m

Height gain 286m

Approx climb time 28mins

By Simon Warren

Stage one | 129km | Grinton | Rating: 7/10

There are two paths that originate in Grinton to link Swaledale with Wensleydale; one to the west over Greets Moss, and this one to the east over Grinton Moor.

Both climbs have the same origin in the centre of the village and both rise steeply between craggy stone walls before traversing what must be the steepest cattle grid I’ve ever come across.

It’s awkward to ride one at the best of times, but when you have no chance to build up the sufficient speed to take you comfortably over the gaping bars it’s nigh on impossible — you just have to commit and hope for the best.

Once over this obstacle the road eases as you reach the split, carry straight on up the mild slope which then plateaus, dips down to cross a narrow stone bridge before kicking up sharply.

This next 500 metres of 16% gradient is the toughest part of the climb and it will really sting the legs, which still have close to two kilometres of hard climbing left before the summit is reached.

Factfile

Where Leave the B6270 in Grinton in Swaledale and head south up across the cattle grid then just straight on to the top.

Grid ref SE 069 954 (OS92)

Length 4400m

Height gain 228m

Approx climb time 17mins

By Simon Warren

Stage one | 104km | Hawes | Rating: 6/10

Once you’ve negotiated your exit from Hawes, you start the climb on the gentle slopes heading into Simonstone, the road picking its way between the scattering of stone buildings ambling upwards, twisting a little as it goes.

Once free of the last building the gradient begins to tip skyward as you start the toughest section of the climb, framed by drystone walls and maxing out at 17% before a false summit.

Passing between high, grassy banks on other side of the road the complexion of the ascent changes and once over the cattle grid you’re on open and exposed land. Set in achingly beautiful surroundings the road with neither shelter nor protection heads steadily over the moor, rolling, twisting, and climbing gradually upwards.

For close to three kilometres you cross this stunning and barren land, although come July 6 every inch of roadside will likely be five-deep with fans, thus denying the pros these epic vistas. Oh well, never mind.

Factfile

Where Head north from Hawes on Brunt Acres road across the river Ure. Turn left onto Bellow Hill then next right to start the climb towards High Shaw.

Grid ref SD 868 956 (OS98)

Length 5120m

Height gain 269m

Approx climb time 18mins

By Simon Warren

Stage one | 68km | Buckden | Rating: 5/10

Although the Côte de Cray is the ‘easy’ route out of Wharfdale into Wensleydale, it’s still no walk in the park — it’s just that its neighbours are giants.

To the left is the dreaded Fleet Moss and to the right is the almighty Park Rash; alas neither would be suitable for the modern Tour caravan so it does make sense that this was the route chosen.

The road begins to rise steadily almost from Kettlewell, way down the valley but it’s not until you’ve passed through Buckden that things start to get interesting.

Once the route begins to head north-east the slope begins to bite and by the time you reach the White Lion Inn in Cray the gradient is a substantial 15% between the houses.

There follows a brief hiatus in the ascent before it rears up again to climb hard into two tight bends, first right and then left, this one much steeper, close to 20% at the apex.

From here the climb snakes between the drystone walls and continues hard all the way to the top.

Factfile

Where Start the climb as you leave Buckden heading north on the B6160 up through Cray.

Grid ref SD 945 801 (OS98)

Length 2900m

Height gain 185m

Approx climb time 11mins