Col de Portet d'Aspet
Encyclopedia
The Col de Portet d'Aspet is a mountain pass
in the central Pyrenees
in the department of Haute-Garonne
in France
. It is situated on the D618 road between Aspet
and St. Girons. At 1069 metres (3,507 ft), it connects the Ger and Bouigane valleys, on the slopes of the Pic de Paloumère (1608 m).
(Ariège
), the climb is 18.14 km long. Over this distance, the climb is 557 m. (an average percentage of 3.1%). The climb proper starts at St. Lary, 5.9 km from the summit (at 6.8%), with the steepest sections being at 10.6% near the summit.
Starting from Aspet
(Haute-Garonne
), the climb is 14.31 km long. Over this distance, the climb is 594 m. (an average percentage of 4.2%). The climb proper starts at the D618/D44 junction (also the start of the climb to the Col de Menté
), 4.4 km from the summit (at 9.6%), with several sections in excess of 11%; the maximum gradient is 12.6%, 3 km from the summit.
in 1910
and has appeared regularly since. The leader over the summit in 1910 was Octave Lapize
.
Since 1947, the Col has featured 27 times (including on stage 15 of the 2007 tour
). The 15th stage was selected for the 2007 L'Étape du Tour
, in which amateur and club riders ride over a full stage of the tour.
In the 1973 tour
Raymond Poulidor
almost lost his life on the descent from the Portet d'Aspet when he plunged off the road into a ravine, taking a serious blow to the head and crawling out with the help of the race director, Jacques Goddet
.
On July 18, 1995 during the fifteenth stage of the 1995 Tour de France
, Fabio Casartelli
and a few other riders crashed on the descent of the Col de Portet d'Aspet. Casartelli sustained heavy facial and head injuries and lost consciousness. While being transported via helicopter to a local hospital, he stopped breathing and after numerous resuscitation attempts was declared dead.
The Société du Tour de France and the Motorola team placed a memorial stone dedication to Fabio Casartelli on the spot where he crashed.
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 central Pyrenees
Pyrenees
The Pyrenees is a range of mountains in southwest Europe that forms a natural border between France and Spain...
in the department of Haute-Garonne
Haute-Garonne
Haute-Garonne is a department in the southwest of France named after the Garonne river. Its main city is Toulouse.-History:Haute-Garonne is one of the original 83 departments created during the French Revolution on March 4, 1790. It was created from part of the former province of Languedoc.The...
in 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...
. It is situated on the D618 road between Aspet
Aspet
Aspet was a hereditary military title of the Armenian nobility, usually found within the Bagratuni family.The name has been derived from either the Old Persian *viƒa/visapati “head of the clan”, or in more likelihood aspapati, later aspbad/-bed which designated the Iranian office of Master of the...
and St. Girons. At 1069 metres (3,507 ft), it connects the Ger and Bouigane valleys, on the slopes of the Pic de Paloumère (1608 m).
Details of climb
Starting from AudresseinAudressein
Audressein is a commune in the Ariège department in southwestern France.It is situated on the former Route nationale 618, the "Route of the Pyrenees", at the start of the climb to the Col de la Core.-Population:...
(Ariège
Ariège
Ariège is a department in southwestern France named after the Ariège River.- History :Ariège is one of the original 83 departments created during the French Revolution on 4 March 1790. It was created from the counties of Foix and Couserans....
), the climb is 18.14 km long. Over this distance, the climb is 557 m. (an average percentage of 3.1%). The climb proper starts at St. Lary, 5.9 km from the summit (at 6.8%), with the steepest sections being at 10.6% near the summit.
Starting from Aspet
Aspet, Haute-Garonne
Aspet is a commune in the Haute-Garonne department in southwestern France.-Population:-References:*...
(Haute-Garonne
Haute-Garonne
Haute-Garonne is a department in the southwest of France named after the Garonne river. Its main city is Toulouse.-History:Haute-Garonne is one of the original 83 departments created during the French Revolution on March 4, 1790. It was created from part of the former province of Languedoc.The...
), the climb is 14.31 km long. Over this distance, the climb is 594 m. (an average percentage of 4.2%). The climb proper starts at the D618/D44 junction (also the start of the climb to the Col de Menté
Col de Menté
The Col de Menté is a mountain pass in the central Pyrenees in the department of Haute-Garonne in France. It is situated on the D44 road between Saint-Béat and the D618...
), 4.4 km from the summit (at 9.6%), with several sections in excess of 11%; the maximum gradient is 12.6%, 3 km from the summit.
Appearances in Tour de France
The Col de Portet d'Aspet was first used in the Tour de FranceTour 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...
in 1910
1910 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...
and has appeared regularly since. The leader over the summit in 1910 was Octave Lapize
Octave Lapize
Octave Lapize was a French professional road racing cyclist and track cyclist.Most famous for winning the 1910 Tour de France and a bronze medal at the 1908 Summer Olympics in the men's 100 kilometres, he was a three-time winner of one-day classics, Paris–Roubaix and Paris–Brussels.In his first...
.
Since 1947, the Col has featured 27 times (including on stage 15 of the 2007 tour
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...
). The 15th stage was selected for the 2007 L'Étape du Tour
L'Étape du Tour
L'Étape du Tour is an organised mass participation cyclosportive event that allows amateur cyclists to race over the same route as a Tour de France stage...
, in which amateur and club riders ride over a full stage of the tour.
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|---|---|---|---|
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In the 1973 tour
1973 Tour de France
The 1973 Tour de France was the 60th Tour de France, taking place June 30 to July 22, 1973. It consisted of 20 stages over 4140.4 km, ridden at an average speed of 33.918 km/h. After winning the 1973 Vuelta a España and the 1973 Giro d'Italia, Eddy Merckx did not participate in the Tour...
Raymond Poulidor
Raymond Poulidor
Raymond Poulidor , is a former professional bicycle racer. He was known as the eternal second, because he finished the Tour de France in second place three times, and in third place five times, including his final Tour at the age of 40...
almost lost his life on the descent from the Portet d'Aspet when he plunged off the road into a ravine, taking a serious blow to the head and crawling out with the help of the race director, Jacques Goddet
Jacques Goddet
Jacques Goddet was a French sports journalist and director of the Tour de France from 1936 to 1986....
.
Fabio Casartelli
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....
, Fabio Casartelli
Fabio Casartelli
Fabio Casartelli was an Italian cyclist and an Olympic gold medalist who died in a crash on the descent of the Col de Portet d'Aspet, France, during the 15th stage of the 1995 Tour de France.He was born in Como, Italy....
and a few other riders crashed on the descent of the Col de Portet d'Aspet. Casartelli sustained heavy facial and head injuries and lost consciousness. While being transported via helicopter to a local hospital, he stopped breathing and after numerous resuscitation attempts was declared dead.
The Société du Tour de France and the Motorola team placed a memorial stone dedication to Fabio Casartelli on the spot where he crashed.
See also
- List of highest paved roads in Europe
- List of mountain passes