Col d'Aubisque
Encyclopedia
The Col d'Aubisque is a mountain pass
in the Pyrenees
30 km south of Tarbes
and Pau in the department of the Pyrénées-Atlantiques
(64), in the Aquitaine
region of France
.
The pass is on the northern slopes of the Pic de Ger (2,613m.) and connects Laruns
, in the valley of the Gave d'Ossau
, via Eaux-Bonnes
(west) to Argelès-Gazost
, in the valley of the Gave de Pau
, via the Col du Soulor
(east). The road crosses the Cirque du Litor, in the upper part of the Ouzom valley. It is generally closed from December to June.
The pass is starting point of excursions and a centre for winter sports. In summer, it is popular with cyclists. It is regularly part of the Tour de France
, rated an hors catégorie
climb.
, crossed by François Lafourcade. It has appeared frequently since then, more than once every two years. It was included at the insistence of Alphone Steinès, a colleague of Henri Desgrange
at the Tour de France. Steinès visited the man responsible for local roads, the ingénieur des ponts-et-chaussées, who said: "Take the riders up the Aubisque? You're completely crazy in Paris
." Steinès agreed that the Tour would pay 5,000 francs to clear the pass. Desgrange knocked the price down to 2,000.
In 1951
, Wim van Est
was in the yellow jersey
– the first Dutchman to wear it and chasing the leaders towards the Soulor when he slipped on gravel and fell into a ravine. He said:
The team's manager, Kees Pellenaars, took a tow rope from the Dutch team's car. It was too short to reach van Est and so to it he tied 40 racing tyres. It was like that that he was pulled out. Van Est said: "It was all the tyres that Pellenaars had for the team. By the time they'd tugged me up, they were all stretched and they wouldn't stay on the wheels any more! Forty tyres! I wanted to get back on my bike and start racing again. But I couldn't. Pellenaars stopped the whole team."
Van Est told journalists: "I had the feeling that I was taking that bend badly but I so much wanted to keep the yellow jersey, so I went flat out and off I flew. A monument spot 50 years later, on July 17, 2001, says: "Here on 17 July 1951 the cyclist Wim van Est fell 70 metres. He survived but lost the yellow jersey." A newspaper advertisement in Holland showed van Est displaying the watch that he'd worn, with the legend: "My heart stopped, but not my Pontiac."
at 1,400m.
The east side is climbed after the Col de Soulor (1474 m). Starting from Argelès Gazost, the Soulor is 19.48 km. It rises 1,019m, an average 5.2 per cent. It gets tough after Arrens with 10 per cent and more. From the Soulor, the climb is 10.6 km, gaining a further 235m. The road from the Soulor runs along cliffs in the Cirque du Litor, where there are two short, narrow tunnels. From the Cirque du Litor, the climb is 7.5 km at 4.6 per cent, a height gain of 350m. Gilbert Duclos-Lasalle said:
finished at the summit of the Aubisque. There has been one previous finish at the summit (in 1985). In 1971
, stage 16a finished at Gourette
on the western approaches to Aubisque.
Rasmussen won stage 16 in 2007, confirming himself as favourite for victory in Paris, but that evening was sacked by his team and thrown off the race.
Mountain pass
A mountain pass is a route through a mountain range or over a ridge. If following the lowest possible route, a pass is locally the highest point on that route...
in the Pyrenees
Pyrenees
The Pyrenees is a range of mountains in southwest Europe that forms a natural border between France and Spain...
30 km south of Tarbes
Tarbes
Tarbes is a commune in the Hautes-Pyrénées department in south-western France.It is part of the historical region of Gascony. It is the second largest metropolitan area of Midi-Pyrénées, with 110,000 inhabitants....
and Pau in the department of the Pyrénées-Atlantiques
Pyrénées-Atlantiques
Pyrénées-Atlantiques is a department in the southwest of France which takes its name from the Pyrenees mountains and the Atlantic Ocean.- History :...
(64), in the Aquitaine
Aquitaine
Aquitaine , archaic Guyenne/Guienne , is one of the 27 regions of France, in the south-western part of metropolitan France, along the Atlantic Ocean and the Pyrenees mountain range on the border with Spain. It comprises the 5 departments of Dordogne, :Lot et Garonne, :Pyrénées-Atlantiques, Landes...
region of France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
.
The pass is on the northern slopes of the Pic de Ger (2,613m.) and connects Laruns
Laruns
Laruns is a commune in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department in south-western France.It is situated at the confluence of two mountain streams, the Gave d'Ossau and its tributary, the Valentin....
, in the valley of the Gave d'Ossau
Gave d'Ossau
The Gave d'Ossau is the torrential river flowing through the Ossau Valley, one of the three main valleys of the High-Béarn , in the Southwest of France....
, via Eaux-Bonnes
Eaux-Bonnes
Eaux-Bonnes is a commune in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department in south-western France.Nearby is the impressive villa Cockade, the construction of which is detailed in Dornford Yates's novel The House That Berry Built....
(west) to Argelès-Gazost
Argelès-Gazost
Argelès-Gazost is a commune in the Hautes-Pyrénées department in south-western France.The Parc animalier des Pyrénées is located in Argelès-Gazost.-References:*...
, in the valley of the Gave de Pau
Gave de Pau
The Gave de Pau is a river of south-western France and a left tributary of the Adour. It takes its name from the city Pau, through which it flows. The river is in length, and its source is at the Cirque de Gavarnie in the Pyrenees mountains....
, via the Col du Soulor
Col du Soulor
Col du Soulor is a high mountain pass in the Pyrenees in France, linking Argelès-Gazost with Arthez-d'Asson. It connects the Ouzom and Arens valleys.The road is occasionally used in the Tour de France cycling race.-Tour de France:...
(east). The road crosses the Cirque du Litor, in the upper part of the Ouzom valley. It is generally closed from December to June.
The pass is starting point of excursions and a centre for winter sports. In summer, it is popular with cyclists. It is regularly part of the Tour de France
Tour de France
The Tour de France is an annual bicycle race held in France and nearby countries. First staged in 1903, the race covers more than and lasts three weeks. As the best known and most prestigious of cycling's three "Grand Tours", the Tour de France attracts riders and teams from around the world. The...
, rated an hors catégorie
Hors Categorie
Hors catégorie is a French term used in cycle races to designate a climb that is "beyond categorization", an incredibly tough climb. Most climbs in cycling are designated from Category 1 to Category 4 , based on both steepness and length...
climb.
Tour de France
The Col d'Aubisque appeared in the Tour de France in 19101910 Tour de France
The 1910 Tour de France was the 8th Tour de France, taking place 3 July to 31 July 1910. It consisted of 15 stages over , ridden at an average speed of 28.680 km/h. It was the first Tour to enter the Pyrenees mountains. Two main candidates for the victory were 1909 winner François Faber, a...
, crossed by François Lafourcade. It has appeared frequently since then, more than once every two years. It was included at the insistence of Alphone Steinès, a colleague of Henri Desgrange
Henri Desgrange
Henri Desgrange was a French bicycle racer and sports journalist. He set 12 world track cycling records, including the hour record of 35.325 kilometres on 11 May 1893. He was the first organiser of the Tour de France.-Origins:Henri Desgrange was one of two brothers, twins...
at the Tour de France. Steinès visited the man responsible for local roads, the ingénieur des ponts-et-chaussées, who said: "Take the riders up the Aubisque? You're completely crazy in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
." Steinès agreed that the Tour would pay 5,000 francs to clear the pass. Desgrange knocked the price down to 2,000.
In 1951
1951 Tour de France
The 1951 Tour de France was the 38th Tour de France, taking place from July 4 to July 29, 1951. It consisted of 24 stages over 4690 km, ridden at an average speed of 32.949 km/h....
, Wim van Est
Wim van Est
Willem van Est was a Dutch racing cyclist.He is best known for being the first Dutch cyclist to wear the yellow jersey in the Tour de France of 1951, and for falling into a ravine while wearing it.-Biography:...
was in the yellow jersey
Yellow jersey
The general classification in the Tour de France is the most important classification, the one by which the winner of the Tour de France is determined. Since 1919, the leader of the general classification wears the yellow jersey .-History:...
– the first Dutchman to wear it and chasing the leaders towards the Soulor when he slipped on gravel and fell into a ravine. He said:
- That first bend was wet, slippery from the snow. And there were sharp stones on the road that the cars had kicked up, and my front wheel hit them and I went over. Well, there was a drop of 20m. They've built a barrier there now but then there was nothing to stop you going over. I fell 20 metres, rolling and rolling and rolling. My feet had come out of the straps, my bike had disappeared, and there was a little flat area, the only one that's there, no bigger than the seat of a chair, and I landed on my backside. A metre left or right and I'd have dropped on to solid stone, six or seven hundred metres down. My ankles were all hurt, my elbows were kaput. I was all bruised and shaken up and I didn't know where I was, but nothing was broken.
The team's manager, Kees Pellenaars, took a tow rope from the Dutch team's car. It was too short to reach van Est and so to it he tied 40 racing tyres. It was like that that he was pulled out. Van Est said: "It was all the tyres that Pellenaars had for the team. By the time they'd tugged me up, they were all stretched and they wouldn't stay on the wheels any more! Forty tyres! I wanted to get back on my bike and start racing again. But I couldn't. Pellenaars stopped the whole team."
Van Est told journalists: "I had the feeling that I was taking that bend badly but I so much wanted to keep the yellow jersey, so I went flat out and off I flew. A monument spot 50 years later, on July 17, 2001, says: "Here on 17 July 1951 the cyclist Wim van Est fell 70 metres. He survived but lost the yellow jersey." A newspaper advertisement in Holland showed van Est displaying the watch that he'd worn, with the legend: "My heart stopped, but not my Pontiac."
Details of the climb
On the west, the climb to the Aubisque starts in Laruns. From there, the Aubisque is 16.6 km and rises 1,190m, an average of 7.2%. The first kilometres, to the spa resort of Eaux-Bonnes, are fairly easy. After the Cascade de Valentin comes a section at 13 per cent. From there to the top, the climb is 8 km at eight per cent average, passing the ski resort of GouretteGourette
Gourette is a winter sports resort in the French Pyrenees. It is located in the commune of Eaux-Bonnes in the département of Pyrénées-Atlantiques, on the D918 road which passes through the Col d'Aubisque mountain pass...
at 1,400m.
The east side is climbed after the Col de Soulor (1474 m). Starting from Argelès Gazost, the Soulor is 19.48 km. It rises 1,019m, an average 5.2 per cent. It gets tough after Arrens with 10 per cent and more. From the Soulor, the climb is 10.6 km, gaining a further 235m. The road from the Soulor runs along cliffs in the Cirque du Litor, where there are two short, narrow tunnels. From the Cirque du Litor, the climb is 7.5 km at 4.6 per cent, a height gain of 350m. Gilbert Duclos-Lasalle said:
- The Aubisque is one of those hors catégorie cols that make the legend of the Tour. The climb is in three parts. The first is fairly easy. The road is good and the specialists use 39 × 19 or 53 × 21. Then, at Eaux-Bonnes, you turn left and get to the real climb. This part, as far as Gourette, is a lot more difficult. The hardest part swings between eight and ten per cent from the seventh kilometre until Pont-du-Goua at the ninth kilometre and you need 39 × 21. Then, after 300m of flat in Gourette, a hairpin goes up to the Hôtel des Crêtes Blanches. Riders use 39 × 17 over four kilometres before going into 39 × 16 in the last two kilometres.
Tour de France stage finishes
Stage 16 of the 2007 Tour de France2007 Tour de France
The 2007 Tour de France, the 94th running of the race, took place from 7 July to 29 July 2007. The Tour began with a prologue in London, and ended with the traditional finish in Paris. Along the way, the route also passed through Belgium and Spain...
finished at the summit of the Aubisque. There has been one previous finish at the summit (in 1985). In 1971
1971 Tour de France
The 1971 Tour de France was the 58th Tour de France, taking place June 26 to July 18, 1971. It consisted of 22 stages over , ridden at an average speed of ....
, stage 16a finished at Gourette
Gourette
Gourette is a winter sports resort in the French Pyrenees. It is located in the commune of Eaux-Bonnes in the département of Pyrénées-Atlantiques, on the D918 road which passes through the Col d'Aubisque mountain pass...
on the western approaches to Aubisque.
| Year | Stage | Start of stage | Distance (km) | Category of climb | Stage winner | Yellow jersey |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 2007 Tour de France The 2007 Tour de France, the 94th running of the race, took place from 7 July to 29 July 2007. The Tour began with a prologue in London, and ended with the traditional finish in Paris. Along the way, the route also passed through Belgium and Spain... |
16 | Orthez Orthez Orthez is a commune in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department in south-western France.It lies 40 km NW of Pau on the Southern railway to Bayonne. The town also encompasses the small village of Sainte-Suzanne thus residents of the town are called either Orthéziens or Sainte-Suzannais... |
218.5 | HC Hors Categorie Hors catégorie is a French term used in cycle races to designate a climb that is "beyond categorization", an incredibly tough climb. Most climbs in cycling are designated from Category 1 to Category 4 , based on both steepness and length... |
Michael Rasmussen Michael Rasmussen Michael Rasmussen is a Danish professional road bicycle racer who rides for the Danish team Christina Watches-Onfone. In the 2007 Tour de France, Rasmussen, while in the yellow jersey, had his contract terminated by his team and was removed from the Tour... |
Michael Rasmussen Michael Rasmussen Michael Rasmussen is a Danish professional road bicycle racer who rides for the Danish team Christina Watches-Onfone. In the 2007 Tour de France, Rasmussen, while in the yellow jersey, had his contract terminated by his team and was removed from the Tour... |
| 1985 1985 Tour de France The 1985 Tour de France was the 72nd Tour de France, taking place June 28 to July 21, 1985, over 4109 km in 22 stages and a prologue.Bernard Hinault would attempt to equal the records of Jacques Anquetil and Eddy Merckx who had each won the Tour de France five times. Hinault was unable to... |
18a | Luz-Saint-Sauveur Luz-Saint-Sauveur Luz-Saint-Sauveur is a commune in the Hautes-Pyrénées department in south-western France.-References:*... |
52.5 | 1 | Stephen Roche Stephen Roche Stephen Roche is a retired professional road racing cyclist. In a 13-year professional career, he peaked in 1987, becoming only the second cyclist to win the Triple Crown of victories in the Tour de France and the Giro d'Italia stage races, plus the World road race championship... |
Bernard Hinault Bernard Hinault Bernard Hinault is a former French cyclist known for five victories in the Tour de France. He is one of only five cyclists to have won all three Grand Tours, and the only cyclist to have won each more than once. He won the Tour de France in 1978, 1979, 1981, 1982 and 1985... |
| 1971 1971 Tour de France The 1971 Tour de France was the 58th Tour de France, taking place June 26 to July 18, 1971. It consisted of 22 stages over , ridden at an average speed of .... |
16a | Bagnères-de-Luchon Bagnères-de-Luchon Bagnères-de-Luchon , also referred to as Luchon, is a spa town and a commune in the Haute-Garonne department in southwestern France.-Geography:... |
145 | 1 | Bernard Labourdette Bernard Labourdette Bernard Labourdette was a French professional road bicycle racer, who won stage 16A in the 1971 Tour de France.- Palmarès :196919701971... |
Eddy Merckx Eddy Merckx Edouard Louis Joseph, Baron Merckx , better known as Eddy Merckx, is a Belgian former professional cyclist. The French magazine Vélo called him "the most accomplished rider that cycling has ever known." The American publication, VeloNews, called him the greatest and most successful cyclist of all... |
Rasmussen won stage 16 in 2007, confirming himself as favourite for victory in Paris, but that evening was sacked by his team and thrown off the race.
Passages in the Tour de France (since 1947)
There have been 42 passages over the summit since 1947, making it the second most visited mountain in the race’s history.| Year | Stage | Category | Leader at the summit |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 2011 Tour de France -Pre-race favourites:2010 winner Alberto Contador was suspended from cycling during a doping investigation from September 2010 to February 2011, during which time 2010 runner-up Andy Schleck was regarded as the favourite. When the suspension was lifted, Contador declared his desire to compete in... |
13 | HC Hors Categorie Hors catégorie is a French term used in cycle races to designate a climb that is "beyond categorization", an incredibly tough climb. Most climbs in cycling are designated from Category 1 to Category 4 , based on both steepness and length... |
Jérémy Roy Jérémy Roy Jérémy Roy is a French professional road bicycle racer for UCI Professional Continental team . He was named the most aggressive rider of the 2011 Tour de France after escaping into breakaways on many stages and continuiously attacking from inside the breakaway.-Biography:Roy turned professional... |
| 2010 2010 Tour de France The 2010 Tour de France was the 97th edition of the Tour de France cycle race, one of cycling's Grand Tours. It started on with an 8.9 km prologue time trial in Rotterdam, the first start in the Netherlands since 1996... |
16 | HC Hors Categorie Hors catégorie is a French term used in cycle races to designate a climb that is "beyond categorization", an incredibly tough climb. Most climbs in cycling are designated from Category 1 to Category 4 , based on both steepness and length... |
Christophe Moreau Christophe Moreau Christophe Moreau is a French former professional road racing cyclist. For many years Moreau was the primary French contender for the general classification in the Tour de France: he finished in the top 12 in the GC five times and finished the race as best Frenchman in 2000, 2003, 2004 and 2005... |
| 2005 2005 Tour de France The 2005 Tour de France was the 92nd Tour de France, taking place from July 2 to July 24, 2005. It comprised 21 stages over 3592.5 km, the winner's average speed was 41.654 km/h. The first stages were held in the département of the Vendée, for the third time in 12 years. The 2005 Tour was... |
16 | HC Hors Categorie Hors catégorie is a French term used in cycle races to designate a climb that is "beyond categorization", an incredibly tough climb. Most climbs in cycling are designated from Category 1 to Category 4 , based on both steepness and length... |
Cadel Evans Cadel Evans Cadel Lee Evans is an Australian professional racing cyclist and winner of the 2011 Tour de France. Early in his career, Evans was a champion mountain biker, winning the World Cup in 1998 and 1999 and placing seventh in the men's cross-country mountain bike race at the 2000 Summer Olympics in... |
| 2002 2002 Tour de France The 2002 Tour de France started in Luxembourg on July 6, 2002, and ended in Paris on July 28. France was visited counter-clockwise, so the Pyrenees were there before the Alps... |
11 | HC Hors Categorie Hors catégorie is a French term used in cycle races to designate a climb that is "beyond categorization", an incredibly tough climb. Most climbs in cycling are designated from Category 1 to Category 4 , based on both steepness and length... |
Laurent Jalabert Laurent Jalabert Laurent Jalabert is a French former professional road racing cyclist, from 1989 to 2002. Affectionately known as "Jaja" , he won many one-day and stage races and was ranked number 1 in the 1990s... |
| 2000 2000 Tour de France The 2000 Tour de France was the 87th Tour de France, and took place from July 1 to July 23, 2000. It was won by American cyclist Lance Armstrong. The Tour started with an individual time trial in Futuroscope and ended traditionally in Paris. The distance travelled was 3662.5 km... |
10 | 2 | Javier Otxoa Javier Otxoa Javier Otxoa Palacios is a Spanish cyclist, formerly of the Kelme cycling team. His name is sometimes spelled Javier Ochoa in media reports.... |
| 1999 1999 Tour de France The 1999 Tour de France was the 86th Tour de France, taking place from July 3 to July 25, 1999. It was won by Lance Armstrong, his first of 7 consecutive wins, the most in Tour history. There were no French stage winners for the first time since the 1926 Tour de France.The 1999 edition of Tour de... |
16 | 1 | Alberto Elli Alberto Elli Alberto Elli is a former Italian road racing cyclist, who wore the yellow jersey for 4 days in the 2000 Tour de France... |
| 1998 1998 Tour de France The 1998 Tour de France, also called the Tour du Dopage , was marred by doping scandals throughout known as the Festina affair, starting with the arrest of Willy Voet, a soigneur in the French Festina team. Voet was traveling into France when he was arrested and found with large quantities of... |
10 | HC Hors Categorie Hors catégorie is a French term used in cycle races to designate a climb that is "beyond categorization", an incredibly tough climb. Most climbs in cycling are designated from Category 1 to Category 4 , based on both steepness and length... |
Cédric Vasseur Cédric Vasseur Cédric Vasseur is a French former professional road racing cyclist. He was born in Hazebrouck, France and currently resides in Lille with his wife and young son... |
| 1996 1996 Tour de France The 1996 Tour de France was the 83rd Tour de France, starting on June 29 and ending on July 21, featuring 19 regular stages, 2 individual time trials, a prologue and a rest day .... |
17 | 1 | Neil Stephens Neil Stephens Neil Stephens is an Australian former road bicycle racer. He is a Tour de France stage winner and is a one of only 25 riders and the only Australian to have completed the three Grand Tours in a calendar year. He was involved in the Festina doping scandal in 1998 Tour de France... |
| 1995 1995 Tour de France The 1995 Tour de France was the 82nd Tour de France, taking place July 1 to July 23, 1995. It was Miguel Indurain's fifth and final victory in the Tour. On the fifteenth stage Italian rider Fabio Casartelli died after an accident on the Col de Portet d'Aspet.... |
16 | 2 | Stage neutralised |
| 1993 1993 Tour de France The 1993 Tour de France was the 80th Tour de France, taking place July 3 to July 25, 1993. It consisted of 20 stages, over 3714.3 km, ridden at an average speed of 38.709 km/h.... |
17 | 1 | Claudio Chiappucci Claudio Chiappucci Claudio Chiappucci is a retired Italian professional cyclist. He was on the podium three times in the Tour de France general classification - second in 1990, third in 1991 and second again in 1992.-Career:... |
| 1991 1991 Tour de France The 1991 Tour de France was the 78th Tour de France, taking place July 6 to July 28, 1991. The total race distance was 22 stages over 3914 km, with riders averaging 38.747 km/h.-Stages:-General classification:-External links:* *... |
13 | HC Hors Categorie Hors catégorie is a French term used in cycle races to designate a climb that is "beyond categorization", an incredibly tough climb. Most climbs in cycling are designated from Category 1 to Category 4 , based on both steepness and length... |
Guido Winterberg |
| 1990 1990 Tour de France The 1990 Tour de France was the 77th Tour de France, taking place June 30 to July 22, 1990. The total race distance was 21 stages over 3504 km, with riders averaging 38.62 km/h... |
17 | HC Hors Categorie Hors catégorie is a French term used in cycle races to designate a climb that is "beyond categorization", an incredibly tough climb. Most climbs in cycling are designated from Category 1 to Category 4 , based on both steepness and length... |
Óscar Vargas Óscar Vargas Óscar de Jesús Vargas Restrepo is a retired male road racing cyclist from Colombia, who was a professional rider from 1985 to 1995.-Career:1986... |
| 1989 1989 Tour de France The 1989 Tour de France was the 76th Tour de France, a race of 21 stages and a prologue, over 3285 km in total. In the closest tour in history, Greg LeMond was behind by 50 seconds at the start of the final stage, a time trial into Paris. LeMond rode for an average speed of 54.55 km/h ,... |
9 | HC Hors Categorie Hors catégorie is a French term used in cycle races to designate a climb that is "beyond categorization", an incredibly tough climb. Most climbs in cycling are designated from Category 1 to Category 4 , based on both steepness and length... |
Miguel Indurain Miguel Indurain Miguel Ángel Indurain Larraya is a retired Spanish road racing cyclist. He won five consecutive Tour de Frances from 1991 and 1995, the first to do so, and the fourth athlete to win five times. He won the Giro d'Italia twice, becoming one of only seven people in history to achieve the Giro Tour... |
| 1987 1987 Tour de France The 1987 Tour de France was the 74th Tour de France, taking place from July 1 to July 26, 1987. It consisted of 25 stages over 4231 km, ridden at an average speed of 36.645 km/h... |
14 | HC Hors Categorie Hors catégorie is a French term used in cycle races to designate a climb that is "beyond categorization", an incredibly tough climb. Most climbs in cycling are designated from Category 1 to Category 4 , based on both steepness and length... |
Thierry Claveyrolat Thierry Claveyrolat Thierry Claveyrolat was a French road bicycle racer. He was King of the Mountains in the 1990 Tour de France.- Racing career :... |
| 1985 1985 Tour de France The 1985 Tour de France was the 72nd Tour de France, taking place June 28 to July 21, 1985, over 4109 km in 22 stages and a prologue.Bernard Hinault would attempt to equal the records of Jacques Anquetil and Eddy Merckx who had each won the Tour de France five times. Hinault was unable to... |
18b | HC Hors Categorie Hors catégorie is a French term used in cycle races to designate a climb that is "beyond categorization", an incredibly tough climb. Most climbs in cycling are designated from Category 1 to Category 4 , based on both steepness and length... |
Reynel Montoya |
| 1983 1983 Tour de France The 1983 Tour de France was the 70th Tour de France, run from 1 to 22 July 1982 in 22 stages and a prologue, over a total distance of 3862 km., won by French rider Laurent Fignon. Sean Kelly of Ireland won the green jersey, and Lucien Van Impe of Belgium won the polka dot jersey... |
10 | HC Hors Categorie Hors catégorie is a French term used in cycle races to designate a climb that is "beyond categorization", an incredibly tough climb. Most climbs in cycling are designated from Category 1 to Category 4 , based on both steepness and length... |
Lucien Van Impe Lucien Van Impe Lucien van Impe was a Belgian cyclist from 1969 to 1987. He excelled mainly as a climber in multiple-day races such as the Tour de France... |
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12 | 1 | Beat Breu Beat Breu Beat Breu is a Swiss former road bicycle racer. In 1982 Tour de France he won the prestigious stage on Alpe d'Huez, as well as another mountain stage finishing in Saint-Lary-Soulan, and finished sixth overall. He also won Tour de Suisse two times and a stage in 1981 Giro d'Italia.- Palmarès :1981... |
| 1980 1980 Tour de France The 1980 Tour de France was the 67th Tour de France. The total distance was 3945.5 km over 22 stages, the average speed of the riders was 35.317 km/h.... |
13 | HC Hors Categorie Hors catégorie is a French term used in cycle races to designate a climb that is "beyond categorization", an incredibly tough climb. Most climbs in cycling are designated from Category 1 to Category 4 , based on both steepness and length... |
Maurice Le Guilloux |
| 1977 1977 Tour de France The 1977 Tour de France was the 64th Tour de France, taking place June 30 to July 24, 1977. The total race distance was 22 stages over 4096 km, with riders averaging 35.419 km/h.... |
2 | 1 | Hennie Kuiper Hennie Kuiper Hennie Kuiper is a Dutch former professional road racing cyclist. His career includes a gold medal in the Olympic road race at Munich in 1972, becoming world professional road race champion in 1975, as well as winning four of the five “Monument” classics... |
| 1976 1976 Tour de France The 1976 Tour de France was the 63rd Tour de France, taking place June 24 to July 18, 1976. The total race distance was 22 stages over 4017 km, with riders averaging 34.518 km/h.It was won by mountain specialist Lucien Van Impe... |
15 | 1 | Wladimiro Panizza Wladimiro Panizza Wladimiro Panizza was an Italian professional road bicycle racer. Panizza came from a communistic family and was named after Lenin. During his long career , he helped Felice Gimondi and Franco Bitossi. His best grand tour was the 1980 Giro d'Italia, where he finished on the second place in the... |
| 1972 1972 Tour de France The 1972 Tour de France was the 59th Tour de France, taking place July 1 to July 22, 1972. It consisted of 20 stages over 3846.6 km, ridden at an average speed of 35.371 km/h. The long awaited clash between Eddy Merckx and Luis Ocaña after Ocaña crashed on Col de Menté in the 1971 Tour de... |
7 | 1 | Wilfried David Wilfried David Wilfried David is a former Belgian professional road bicycle racer.- Palmarès :1968Wilfried David is a former Belgian professional road bicycle racer.- Palmarès :1968... |
| 1971 1971 Tour de France The 1971 Tour de France was the 58th Tour de France, taking place June 26 to July 18, 1971. It consisted of 22 stages over , ridden at an average speed of .... |
16 | 1 | Bernard Labourdette Bernard Labourdette Bernard Labourdette was a French professional road bicycle racer, who won stage 16A in the 1971 Tour de France.- Palmarès :196919701971... |
| 1970 1970 Tour de France The 1970 Tour de France was the 57th Tour de France, taking place June 27 to July 19, 1970. It consisted of 23 stages over 4366 km, ridden at an average speed of 35.589 km/h.... |
19 | 1 | Raymond Delisle Raymond Delisle Raymond Delisle is a French former professional road bicycle racer. He is the only rider to have won a stage of the Tour de France on 14 July, France's national day, while wearing the jersey of national champion.... |
| 1969 1969 Tour de France The 1969 Tour de France was the 56th Tour de France, taking place June 28 to July 20, 1969. It consisted of 22 stages over 4110 km , ridden at an average speed of 35.409 km/h... |
17 | 1 | Eddy Merckx Eddy Merckx Edouard Louis Joseph, Baron Merckx , better known as Eddy Merckx, is a Belgian former professional cyclist. The French magazine Vélo called him "the most accomplished rider that cycling has ever known." The American publication, VeloNews, called him the greatest and most successful cyclist of all... |
| 1968 1968 Tour de France The 1968 Tour de France was the 55th Tour de France, taking place June 27 to July 21, 1968. It consisted of 22 stages over 4684.8 km, ridden at an average speed of 34.894 km/h... |
12 | 1 | Julio Jiménez Julio Jimenez Julio Jiménez Muñoz is a Spanish former professional road racing cyclist. Known as a climbing specialist, he captured six King of the Mountains jerseys at the Grand Tours... |
| 1967 1967 Tour de France The 1967 Tour de France was the 54th Tour de France, taking place June 29 to July 23, 1967. It consisted of 22 stages over 4780 km, ridden at 35.018 km/h... |
17 | 1 | Jean-Claude Theilliere |
| 1966 1966 Tour de France The 1966 Tour de France was the 53rd Tour de France, taking place June 21 to July 14, 1966. It consisted of 22 stages over 4303 km, ridden at an average speed of 36.760 km/h.... |
10 | 1 | Tommaso De Pra Tommaso de Pra Tommaso de Pra is a former Italian professional road bicycle racer. De Pra was professional from 1963 to 1971 where he took 8 professional victories. During his career, he rode the Tour de France twice where won one stage and wore the maillot jaune for one day in the 1966 Tour de France... |
| 1965 1965 Tour de France The 1965 Tour de France was memorable for a number of reasons. In his first year as a professional, Felice Gimondi, a substitute replacement on the Salvarani team, captures the overall title ahead of Raymond Poulidor, last year's second place finisher... |
9 | 1 | Julio Jiménez Julio Jimenez Julio Jiménez Muñoz is a Spanish former professional road racing cyclist. Known as a climbing specialist, he captured six King of the Mountains jerseys at the Grand Tours... |
| 1964 1964 Tour de France The 1964 Tour de France was the 51st Tour de France, taking place June 22 to July 14, 1964. The total race distance was 22 stages over 4504 km, with riders averaging 35.419 km/h. Stages 3, 10 and 22 were all two part stages with one the first half being a regular stage and the second half... |
16 | 1 | Federico Bahamontes Federico Bahamontes Federico Martín Bahamontes is a Spanish former professional road racing cyclist.-Biography:Bahamontes was born in Santo Domingo-Caudilla , of Cuban descent. His family was devastated during the Spanish civil war and Bahamontes' father, Julián, took the family to Madrid as refugees... |
| 1963 1963 Tour de France The 1963 Tour de France was the 50th Tour de France, taking place June 23 to July 14, 1963. The total race distance was 21 stages over 4137 km, with riders averaging 37.092 km/h... |
10 | 1 | Federico Bahamontes Federico Bahamontes Federico Martín Bahamontes is a Spanish former professional road racing cyclist.-Biography:Bahamontes was born in Santo Domingo-Caudilla , of Cuban descent. His family was devastated during the Spanish civil war and Bahamontes' father, Julián, took the family to Madrid as refugees... |
| 1961 1961 Tour de France The 1961 Tour de France was the 48th running of the Tour de France. It meandered through France from 25 June to 16 July 1961. It consisted of 21 stages, a total of , which was ridden at an average speed of . Out of the 132 riders who started the tour, 72 managed to complete the tour's tough course... |
17 | 1 | Eddy Pauwels Eddy Pauwels Eddy Pauwels is a former Belgian racing cyclist from 1958 to 1966. He won 4 stages in the Tour de France and wore the yellow jersey for 4 days in total. In 1962, Pauwels won the combativity award in the Tour de France.- Major victories :... |
| 1960 1960 Tour de France The 1960 Tour de France was the 47th Tour de France, taking place between 26 June and 17 July 1960. The race featured 128 riders, of which 81 finished... |
10 | 1 | Graziano Battistini Graziano Battistini Graziano Battistini was an Italian professional road bicycle racer. In 1960, Battistini won two stages in the Tour de France, and finished in second place in the general classification.- Palmarès :1959... |
| 1958 1958 Tour de France The 1958 Tour de France was the 45th Tour de France, taking place June 26 to July 19, 1958. The total race distance was 24 stages over 4,319 km, at an average speed of 36.919 km/h.... |
13 | 1 | Federico Bahamontes Federico Bahamontes Federico Martín Bahamontes is a Spanish former professional road racing cyclist.-Biography:Bahamontes was born in Santo Domingo-Caudilla , of Cuban descent. His family was devastated during the Spanish civil war and Bahamontes' father, Julián, took the family to Madrid as refugees... |
| 1957 1957 Tour de France The 1957 Tour de France was the 44th Tour de France, taking place June 27 to July 20, 1957. It was composed of 22 stages over 4665 km, ridden at an average speed of 34.250 km/h.... |
18 | 1 | Jean Dotto Jean Dotto Jean-Baptiste Dotto was the first French racing cyclist to win the Vuelta a España. He rode the Tour de France 13 times, coming fourth in 1954.... |
| 1956 1956 Tour de France The 1956 Tour de France was the 43rd Tour de France, taking place from July 5 to 28, 1956. It consisted of 22 stages over 4498 km, ridden at an average speed of 36.268 km/h.... |
11 | 1 | Valentin Huot |
| 1955 1955 Tour de France The 1955 Tour de France was the 42nd Tour de France, taking place from July 7 to July 30, 1955. It consisted of 22 stages over 4495 km, ridden at an average speed of 34.446 km/h.... |
18 | 1 | Charly Gaul Charly Gaul Charly Gaul was a professional cyclist. He was a national cyclo-cross champion, an accomplished time triallist and a better climber. His ability earned him the nickname of The Angel of the Mountains in the 1958 Tour de France, which he won with four stage victories... |
| 1954 1954 Tour de France The 1954 Tour de France was the 41st Tour de France, taking place from July 8 to August 1, 1954. It consisted of 23 stages over 4656 km, ridden at an average speed of 33.229 km/h.... |
11 | 1 | Federico Bahamontes Federico Bahamontes Federico Martín Bahamontes is a Spanish former professional road racing cyclist.-Biography:Bahamontes was born in Santo Domingo-Caudilla , of Cuban descent. His family was devastated during the Spanish civil war and Bahamontes' father, Julián, took the family to Madrid as refugees... |
| 1953 1953 Tour de France The 1953 Tour de France was the 40th Tour de France, taking place from July 3 to July 26, 1953. It consisted of 22 stages over 4479 km, ridden at an average speed of 34.593 km/h.... |
10 | 1 | Jesus Lorono Jesus Loroño Jesus Loroño Artega is a former Spanish professional road racing cyclist during the 1950s and early 1960s. Loroño is most famous for capturing the 1957 Vuelta a España... |
| 1952 1952 Tour de France The 1952 Tour de France was the 39th Tour de France, taking place June 25 to July 19, 1952. It was composed of 23 stages over 4807 km, ridden at an average speed of 31.739 km/h. Newly introduced were the arrivals on mountain peaks.... |
18 | 1 | Fausto Coppi Fausto Coppi Angelo Fausto Coppi, , was the dominant international cyclist of the years each side of the Second World War. His successes earned him the title Il Campionissimo, or champion of champions... |
| 1951 1951 Tour de France The 1951 Tour de France was the 38th Tour de France, taking place from July 4 to July 29, 1951. It consisted of 24 stages over 4690 km, ridden at an average speed of 32.949 km/h.... |
13 | 1 | Raphaël Géminiani Raphael Geminiani Raphaël Géminiani is a French former road bicycle racer. He had six podium finishes in the Grand Tours. He is one of four children of Italian immigrants who moved to Clermont-Ferrand. He worked in a cycle shop and started racing as a boy... |
| 1950 1950 Tour de France The 1950 Tour de France was the 37th Tour de France, taking place from 13 July to 7 August 1950. It consisted of 22 stages over 4775 km, ridden at an average speed of 32.788 km/h.... |
11 | 1 | Jean Robic Jean Robic Jean Robic was a French road racing cyclist, who won the 1947 Tour de France. Robic was a professional cyclist from 1943 to 1961. His diminutive stature and appearance was encapsulated in the nickname the hobgoblin of the Brittany moor... |
| 1949 1949 Tour de France The 1949 Tour de France was the 36th Tour de France, taking place from 30 June to 24 July 1949. It consisted of 21 stages over 4808 km, ridden at an average speed of 32.121 km/h.... |
11 | 1 | Fausto Coppi Fausto Coppi Angelo Fausto Coppi, , was the dominant international cyclist of the years each side of the Second World War. His successes earned him the title Il Campionissimo, or champion of champions... |
| 1948 1948 Tour de France The 1948 Tour de France was the 35th Tour de France, taking place June 30 to July 25, 1948. It consisted of 21 stages over 4,922 km, ridden at an average speed of 33.443 km/h.... |
7 | 1 | Bernard Gauthier Bernard Gauthier Bernard Gauthier is a retired French road racing cyclist, who was professional from 1947 to 1961. He won Bordeaux–Paris four times.-Major victories:1947... |
| 1947 1947 Tour de France The 1947 Tour de France was the 34th Tour de France, taking place from 25 June to 20 July 1947. The total race distance was 21 stages over 4,640 km, ridden at an average speed of 31.412 km/h... |
15 | 1 | Jean Robic Jean Robic Jean Robic was a French road racing cyclist, who won the 1947 Tour de France. Robic was a professional cyclist from 1943 to 1961. His diminutive stature and appearance was encapsulated in the nickname the hobgoblin of the Brittany moor... |
See also
- List of highest paved roads in Europe
- List of mountain passes
External links
- Aubisque bicycle climb description excerpt from "Best Cycling Routes of the Pyrenees"
- Profile from the west on climbbybike.com
- Profile from the east on climbbybike.com
- Profile of the Col de Soulor on climbbybike.com
- Cycling Col d'Ausbique and the History of the Tour de France photos, video and report.
- Details of climbs
- le col d'Aubisque dans le Tour de France
- Gourette dans le Tour de France
- Complete list of Tour de France appearances