The Tour de France peloton has moved on to the Vosges mountains following stages in the Pyrenees and Central Massif. Stage thirteen will cover 205.8 kilometers from Dole to Belfort, featuring two climbs: the Col des Croix (category 3) and the Ballon d’Alsace (category 1). Dutch debutant, Biesterbos, has withdrawn from the race. With a challenging Vosges stage looming the following day, general classification contenders are expected to conserve energy. This creates an opportunity for their support riders to potentially compete for the stage win. The stage is expected to see attacks from those not vying for overall victory.