After a few flat stages and a day of rest, the 2012 Tour de France enters the treacherous Pyrenees beginning with Stage 16 on Wednesday. The 197-kilometer ride features two Category H climbs, the highest level of difficulty for any rider, as well as two Category 1 climbs in the final 60 kilometers. Riders will descend from the Col de Peyresourde directly into what should be a speedy finish.
Bradley Wiggins will enter his ninth stage wearing the yellow jersey as the Tour's overall leader. He remains 2:05 ahead of Sky Procycling teammate Christopher Froome. Tejay Van Garderen is still the top-ranked American in seventh place overall and 6:57 off the lead.
Stage 16 will be broadcast on NBC Sports Network beginning at 8 a.m. Eastern Time. It will also be shown on Tour de France Live, available online with a subscription.
For updated standings, visit http://tourdefrance.nbcsports.com/standings.
Stick with this StoryStream for results, updates and more from the 2012 Tour de France. For all things cycling, head over to SB Nation's cycling blog Podium Cafe.