Tour De France 2015: TV Schedule, Route, Live Stream Coverage for Stage 16

Monday's Stage 16 of the 2015 Tour de France will present a tricky challenge to the peloton, as the final transition stage before the rest day in Gap and four days of heavy climbing in the Alps.

On the surface, the steady rise toward Gap seems innocent enough, but the Tour organisers have opted to have the peloton climb the Col de Manse in the finale, and with a steep descent toward the finish line on the schedule, there's the potential for some horrific crashes.

You can't win the Tour on Monday, but one mistake could end any rider's chance of a positive result. Here's everything you need to know about Stage 16.

Stage 16: Bourg-de-Peages – Gap, 201 Kilometers

Date: Monday, July 20

Profile: Rising, Minor Climbs

TV Info: NBC Sports (U.S.), ITV4 (UK)

Live Stream: NBC Sports Live Extra (U.S.), ITV Player (UK)

For a look at the Stage 16 route and others throughout the competition, check out the Guardian’s interactive guide.

Standings

#	Rider Name (Country) Team	Result
1	Christopher Froome (GBr) Team Sky	59:58:54
2	Nairo Quintana (Col) Movistar Team	0:03:10
3	Tejay Van Garderen (USA) BMC Racing Team	0:03:32
4	Alejandro Valverde (Spa) Movistar Team	0:04:02
5	Alberto Contador (Spa) Tinkoff-Saxo	0:04:23
6	Geraint Thomas (GBr) Team Sky	0:04:54
7	Robert Gesink (Ned) Team LottoNL-Jumbo	0:06:23
8	Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) Astana Pro Team	0:08:17
9	Tony Gallopin (Fra) Lotto Soudal	0:08:23
10	Bauke Mollema (Ned) Trek Factory Racing	0:08:53

#	Rider Name (Country) Team	Result
1	Peter Sagan (Svk) Tinkoff-Saxo	360
2	André Greipel (Ger) Lotto Soudal	316
3	John Degenkolb (Ger) Team Giant-Alpecin	264
4	Mark Cavendish (GBr) Etixx - Quick-Step	192
5	Bryan Coquard (Fra) Team Europcar	122
6	Greg Van Avermaet (Bel) BMC Racing Team	112
7	Christopher Froome (GBr) Team Sky	109
8	Zdenek Stybar (Cze) Etixx - Quick-Step	78
9	Alejandro Valverde (Spa) Movistar Team	77
10	Tony Gallopin (Fra) Lotto Soudal	76

#	Rider Name (Country) Team	Result
1	Christopher Froome (GBr) Team Sky	61
2	Joaquim Rodriguez (Spa) Team Katusha	52
3	Jakob Fuglsang (Den) Astana Pro Team	41
4	Richie Porte (Aus) Team Sky	40
5	Romain Bardet (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale	38
6	Rafal Majka (Pol) Tinkoff-Saxo	32
7	Nairo Quintana (Col) Movistar Team	32
8	Alejandro Valverde (Spa) Movistar Team	32
9	Serge Pauwels (Bel) MTN - Qhubeka	28
10	Robert Gesink (Ned) Team LottoNL-Jumbo	28

Preview

Fans of the sport no doubt remember Joseba Beloki's crash near Gap back in 2003, which all but ended the Spaniard's career and forced Lance Armstrong to go off-road in one of the more memorable crashes in recent history:

As Jens Voigt told Cycling News, the descent toward Gap has claimed more than just a few scalps, and caution will be key on Monday:

"

Andy Schleck lost a Tour de France on the descent of the Col de Manse but even worse was when Joseba Beloki finished his career by crashing on it. On downhills like this, every year there are crashes and stress. Then people know it's dangerous, so they try to break away there and use the descent to their advantage. A day like this is physically hard for the sprinters but mentally they can take the day off. The GC riders have to be focused every day, especially days like this. They have to be well positioned from the first kilometre to the last, which mentally is super hard.

"

Descending as a skill is often overlooked when we talk about cyclists, particularly those contending for the general classification, but in stages like this, it's crucial. While the descent toward Gap isn't particularly long, it's highly technical and navigated at incredible speeds.

The state of the road itself has been slightly improved in recent years, especially after Beloki's crash, but extreme temperatures can still make the asphalt slippery. For the favourites for the general classification, the stage is a nightmare, although riders aiming for a single stage win couldn't ask for anything more.

Laurent Cipriani/Associated Press

The Col de Manse isn't the longest or steepest climb in this year's Tour, and while it will take some climbing ability to ride away from the leaders, it's the perfect spot to launch a late attack. A single rider attacking within a mile from the top can grab a handful of seconds and take plenty of risks in the descent. With a rest day on the horizon, no one will be holding back.

Looking at the general classification, Stage 16 presents several riders with a fantastic opportunity to gain some time on leader Chris Froome and put some real pressure on Team Sky. Nairo Quintana told L'Equipe (h/t Climbing Records' Mihai Cazacu) he's already seen some cracks in their armor, and Monday's stage could help widen them:

Vincenzo Nibali has endured a nightmare Tour so far, but of the race favourites, he's probably the best technician. If he decides to let go of the brakes during the descent and someone like Quintana or Tejay van Garderen decides to follow, Team Sky will have some tough choices to make.

Do they chase the group and run the risk of a crash in the descent, which could have devastating consequences? Or do they allow Quintana to gain some time on Froome, knowing full well the Colombian is expected to attack early and often in the Alps?

As far as transition stages go, this one should be a beauty. Be prepared for anything when the peloton reaches the summit of the Col de Manse and throws itself into the descent.

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