Col du Tourmalet
Encyclopedia
Pyrenees
The Pyrenees is a range of mountains in southwest Europe that forms a natural border between France and Spain...
in the department of Hautes-Pyrénées
Hautes-Pyrénées
Hautes-Pyrénées is a department in southwestern France. It is part of the Midi-Pyrénées region.-History:...
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...
. Sainte-Marie-de-Campan is at the foot on the eastern side and the ski station La Mongie
La Mongie
The village of La Mongie is at 1800 metres altitude. There are also residences at 1850 and the Tourmalet building at 1900. It lies below the Col du Tourmalet . It is in the Midi-Pyrénées region of France and around 20 km from the Spanish border...
two-thirds of the way up. Luz-Saint-Sauveur
Luz-Saint-Sauveur
Luz-Saint-Sauveur is a commune in the Hautes-Pyrénées department in south-western France.-References:*...
is at the bottom of the western side.
Tourmalet is also a cheese
Cheese
Cheese is a generic term for a diverse group of milk-based food products. Cheese is produced throughout the world in wide-ranging flavors, textures, and forms....
made from sheep milk
Sheep milk
Sheep's milk is the milk of domestic sheep. Though not widely drunk in any modern culture, sheep's milk is commonly used to make cultured dairy products. Well-known cheeses made from sheep milk include the Feta of Greece, Roquefort of France, Manchego from Spain, the Pecorino Romano , the Pecorino...
produced in these mountains. White-winged snowfinch
White-winged Snowfinch
The White-winged Snowfinch , or just Snowfinch, is a small passerine bird. Despite its name, it is a sparrow rather than a true finch.-Distribution and habitat:...
es nest in ski towers near the col.
Details of the climb
The western side, from Luz-Saint-SauveurLuz-Saint-Sauveur
Luz-Saint-Sauveur is a commune in the Hautes-Pyrénées department in south-western France.-References:*...
, is 19 km long, climbing 1,404m at an average of 7.4 percent with a maximum of 10.2 near the summit. Starting from Sainte-Marie-de-Campan, the climb is 17.2 km, gaining 1,268m, an average 7.4 with a maximum of 10. Each kilometre is marked by the distance to the summit and the average gradient of the next kilometre.
From the pass itself runs a track leading to the Pic du Midi de Bigorre
Pic du Midi de Bigorre
The Pic du Midi de Bigorre or simply Pic du Midi is a mountain in the French Pyrenees famous for its astronomical observatory, the Observatoire du Pic du Midi de Bigorre , part of the Observatoire Midi-Pyrénées .-Pic du Midi Observatory:Construction of the observatory began in 1878 under the...
observatory (2,877m.), .
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...
. It has been included more than any other pass, starting 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...
, when the Pyrenees were introduced. The first rider over 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...
, who went on to claim 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:...
in Paris. In 1913, Eugène Christophe
Eugene Christophe
Eugène Christophe was a French road bicycle racer and pioneer of cyclo-cross. He was a professional from 1904 until 1926. In 1919 he became the first rider to wear the yellow jersey of the Tour de France .Eugène Christophe rode 11 Tours de France and finished eight...
broke his fork
Bicycle fork
A bicycle fork is the portion of a bicycle that holds the front wheel and allows the rider to steer and balance the bicycle. A fork consists of two fork ends which hold the front wheel axle, two blades which join at a fork crown, and a steerer or steering tube to which the handlebars attach ...
on the Tourmalet and repaired it himself at a forge in Sainte-Marie-de-Campan.
Since 1947, the Tour has crossed the summit 47 times, plus a stage finish at the summit in 1974. As of the 2010 edition of the tour, the summit has been crossed 75 times in the tour's history. There have also been three finishes at La Mongie
La Mongie
The village of La Mongie is at 1800 metres altitude. There are also residences at 1850 and the Tourmalet building at 1900. It lies below the Col du Tourmalet . It is in the Midi-Pyrénées region of France and around 20 km from the Spanish border...
. Since 1980 it has been ranked 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...
, or exceptional. The Vuelta a España
Vuelta a España
The Vuelta a España is a three-week road bicycle racing stage race that is one of the three "Grand Tours" of Europe and part of the UCI World Ranking calendar. The race lasts three weeks and attracts cyclists from around the world. The race is broken into day-long segments, called stages...
has also crossed the pass several times.
The 2010 edition of the Tour included the pass on two consecutive stages, crossing westward on the 16th stage to Pau and eastward on the 17th stage with a finish at the summit.
At the col is a memorial to Jacques Goddet
Jacques Goddet
Jacques Goddet was a French sports journalist and director of the Tour de France from 1936 to 1986....
, director 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...
from 1936 to 1987, and a large statue of 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...
gasping for air as he struggles to make the climb.
Origins in the Tour
The Pyrenees were included in the Tour de France at the insistence of Alphonse Steinès, a colleague of the organiser, Henri DesgrangeHenri 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...
. He told the story in a book published soon after the event.
Steinès first agreed that the Tour would pay 2,000 francs to clear the Col d'Aubisque
Col d'Aubisque
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 , in the Aquitaine region of France....
, then came back to investigate the Tourmalet. He started at Sainte-Marie-de-Campan with sausage, ham and cheese at the inn opposite the church and arranged to hire a driver called Dupont from Bagnères-de-Bigorre. Dupont and Steinès made it the first 16 km, after which their car came to a stop. Dupont and Steinès started to walk but Dupont turned back after 600m, shouting: "The bears come over from Spain when it snows." Steinès set off. He mistook voices in the darkness for thieves. They were youngsters guarding sheep with their dog. Steinès called to one.
"Son, do you know the Tourmalet well? Could you guide me? I'll give you a gold coin. When we get to the other top, I'll give you another one."
The boy joined him but then turned back.
Steinès rested on a rock. He considered sitting it out until dawn, then realised he'd freeze. He slipped on the icy road, then fell into a stream. He climbed back to the road and again fell in the snow. Exhausted and stumbling, he heard another voice.
"Tell me who goes there or I'll shoot."
"I'm a lost traveller. I've just come across the Tourmalet."
"Oh, it's you, Monsieur Steinès! We were expecting you! We got a phone call at Ste-Marie-de-Campan. Everybody's at Barèges. It's coming on for three o'clock. There are search teams of guides out looking for you."
The organising newspaper, L'Auto, had a correspondent at Barèges, a man called Lanne-Camy. He took him for a bath and provided new clothes.
Steines sent a telegram to Desgrange: "Crossed Tourmalet stop. Very good road stop. Perfectly feasible."
Appearances in Tour de France (since 1910)
| Year | Stage | Category | Start | Finish | 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... |
12 | 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... |
Cugnaux Cugnaux Cugnaux is a commune in the Haute-Garonne department in southwestern France.-Population:-References:*... |
Luz-Ardiden | 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... |
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... |
Pau | Col du Tourmalet | Andy Schleck Andy Schleck Andy Raymond Schleck is a Luxembourgish professional road bicycle racer for UCI ProTour team . He is the younger brother of Fränk Schleck, who also rides for . Their father Johny Schleck rode the Tour de France and Vuelta a España between 1965 and 1974... |
| 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... |
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:... |
Pau | 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... |
| 2009 2009 Tour de France The 2009 Tour de France was the 96th edition of the Tour de France, one of cycling's Grand Tours. It started on 4 July in the principality of Monaco with a individual time trial which included a section of the Circuit de Monaco... |
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... |
Saint-Gaudens | 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.... |
Franco Pellizotti Franco Pellizotti Franco Pellizotti is an Italian professional road bicycle racer, currently suspended from the sport.... |
| 2008 2008 Tour de France The 2008 Tour de France was the 95th Tour de France. The event took place from 5–27 July 2008. Starting in the French city of Brest, the tour entered Italy on the 15th stage and returned to France during the 16th, heading for Paris, its regular final destination, which was reached in the 21st stage... |
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... |
Pau | Hautacam Hautacam Hautacam is a ski resort in the Pyrenees. It is situated in the Hautes-Pyrénées department, in the Midi-Pyrénées region. The winter sports station lies at a height of 1560 meters... |
Rémy Di Gregorio Rémy Di Gregorio Rémy Di Gregorio is a French professional road bicycle racer. He currently rides for , but will move to for the 2012 season.... |
| 2006 2006 Tour de France The 2006 Tour de France was the 93rd Tour de France, taking place from July 1 to July 23, 2006. It was won by Óscar Pereiro following the disqualification of apparent winner Floyd Landis.... |
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... |
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.... |
Val d'Aran Val d'Aran The Val d'Aran is a valley in the Pyrenees mountains and a comarca in the northwestern part of the province of Lleida, in Catalonia, northern Spain. Most of the valley constitutes the only part of Spain, and of Catalonia, on the north face of the Pyrenees, hence the only part of Catalonia whose... -Pla-de-Beret |
David de la Fuente David De La Fuente David de la Fuente Rasilla is a Spanish professional road bicycle racer. He rides for the cycling team. De la Fuente led the mountains classification of the 2006 Tour de France for a number of stages, donning the Polka Dot jersey after stage 2, and then again after stage 11 until Michael... |
| 2003 2003 Tour de France The 2003 Tour de France started and ended in Paris. Lasting from July 5 to July 27 the race covered 3,427.5 km , proceeding clockwise in twenty stages around France, including six major mountain stages... |
15 | 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... |
Bagnères-de-Bigorre Bagnères-de-Bigorre Bagnères-de-Bigorre is a French commune in the south-western Hautes-Pyrénées department, of which it is a sub-prefecture.-Notable people:Bagnères-de-Bigorre was the birthplace of:*Alan Brooke, 1st Viscount Alanbrooke... |
Luz-Ardiden | Sylvain Chavanel Sylvain Chavanel Sylvain Chavanel Albira is a French professional road bicycle racer. His brother Sébastien Chavanel is also a cyclist.Chavanel started his professional career in 2000 with Jean-René Bernaudeau's team Bonjour, which became Brioches La Boulangère in 2003... |
| 2001 2001 Tour de France The 2001 Tour de France was particularly difficult, having contained a 67-km long team time trial, two individual time trials and five mountain-top finishes on consecutive days, the second of which being the Chamrousse special category climb time trial. Thus, all the high-mountain stages were... |
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... |
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.... |
Luz-Ardiden | Sven Montgomery |
| 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 | 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... |
Lannemezan Lannemezan Lannemezan is a commune in the Hautes-Pyrénées department in south-western France.-Geography:The Petite Baïse has its source in the commune.Lannemezan is around 30 km east of Tarbes, and around 100 km south-west of Toulouse.-References:*... |
Pau | 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... |
Pau | 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:... |
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... |
| 1997 1997 Tour de France The 1997 Tour de France was the 84th Tour de France, it took place July 5–27, 1997. Jan Ullrich's victory margin, of 9' 09" was the largest margin of victory since Laurent Fignon won the 1984 Tour de France by 10' 32"... |
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... |
Pau | Loudenvielle Loudenvielle Loudenvielle is a commune in the Hautes-Pyrénées department in south-western France.Its inhabitants are called Loudenviellois.Located in the Louron Valley, Loudenvielle is a popular tourist resort, with a lake, campsite, thermal spa and waterpark... |
Javier Pascual-Rodriguez |
| 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.... |
15 | 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... |
Saint-Girons Saint-Girons Saint-Girons is the name or part of the name of several communes in France:* Saint-Girons, Ariège, in the Ariège department* Saint-Girons-d'Aiguevives, in the Gironde department... |
Cauterets Cauterets Cauterets is a spa town, a ski resort and a commune in the Hautes-Pyrénées department in south-western France.-Geography:Cauterets is located southwest of Lourdes in the beautiful valley of the Gave de Cauterets and borders the Pyrenees National Park.... -Crêtes du Lys |
Richard Virenque Richard Virenque Richard VirenqueRichard Virenque's name is pronounced Ree-shah Vee-rahnk. Virenque considers himself a man of the South but pronounces his name in standard French. Confusion is caused by the southern habit of pronouncing "en" as "ang" or "eng", making it Vee-rank. But Virenque says Vee-rahnk or... |
| 1994 1994 Tour de France The 1994 Tour de France was the 81st Tour de France and included two stages in England , Stage 4, Dover to Brighton and Stage 5, around Portsmouth. It took place July 2 to July 24, 1994... |
12 | 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... |
Lourdes Lourdes Lourdes is a commune in the Hautes-Pyrénées department in the Midi-Pyrénées region in south-western France.Lourdes is a small market town lying in the foothills of the Pyrenees, famous for the Marian apparitions of Our Lady of Lourdes occurred in 1858 to Bernadette Soubirous... |
Luz-Ardiden | Richard Virenque Richard Virenque Richard VirenqueRichard Virenque's name is pronounced Ree-shah Vee-rahnk. Virenque considers himself a man of the South but pronounces his name in standard French. Confusion is caused by the southern habit of pronouncing "en" as "ang" or "eng", making it Vee-rank. But Virenque says Vee-rahnk or... |
| 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 | 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... |
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.... |
Pau | Tony Rominger Tony Rominger Tony Rominger is a Swiss former professional road racing cyclist who won the Vuelta a España in 1992, 1993 and 1994 and the Giro d'Italia in 1995.He began cycling late, allegedly spurred by competition with his brother... |
| 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... |
Jaca Jaca Jaca is a city of northeastern Spain near the border with France, in the midst of the Pyrenees in the province of Huesca... |
Val-Louron | 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:... |
| 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... |
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... |
Blagnac Blagnac Blagnac is a commune in the Haute-Garonne department in southwestern France.It is the third-largest suburb of the city of Toulouse, although governed by a separate council, and is adjacent to it on the northwest side. It is a member of the Urban community of Greater Toulouse... |
Luz-Ardiden | Miguel Martinez-Torres |
| 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 ,... |
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... |
Cauterets Cauterets Cauterets is a spa town, a ski resort and a commune in the Hautes-Pyrénées department in south-western France.-Geography:Cauterets is located southwest of Lourdes in the beautiful valley of the Gave de Cauterets and borders the Pyrenees National Park.... |
Superbagnères Superbagnères Superbagnères is a ski resort above the town of Bagnères-de-Luchon in the French department of Haute-Garonne in the Midi-Pyrénées region.-Overview:... |
Robert Millar Robert Millar Robert Millar is a former Scottish professional cyclist who won the “King of the Mountains” competition in the 1984 Tour de France and finished fourth overall – sharing the highest Tour position for a British cyclist with Bradley Wiggins, and the first time a Briton had won a major Tour... |
| 1988 1988 Tour de France The 1988 Tour de France was the 75th Tour de France, taking place from July 4 to July 24, 1988. It consisted of 22 stages over 3281 km, ridden at an average speed of 38.909 km/h... |
15 | 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... |
Saint-Girons Saint-Girons Saint-Girons is the name or part of the name of several communes in France:* Saint-Girons, Ariège, in the Ariège department* Saint-Girons-d'Aiguevives, in the Gironde department... |
Luz-Ardiden | Laudelino Cubino Laudelino Cubino Laudelino Cubino González is a Spanish former professional road racing cyclist. He was born in Béjar, Spain.- Palmarès :19861987Laudelino Cubino González is a Spanish former professional road racing cyclist... |
| 1986 1986 Tour de France The 1986 Tour de France was the 73rd Tour de France, taking place July 4 to July 27, 1986. The total race distance was 4094 km, distributed over 23 stages and a prologue. It was won by Greg LeMond, the first American to win the Tour... |
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... |
Pau | Superbagnères Superbagnères Superbagnères is a ski resort above the town of Bagnères-de-Luchon in the French department of Haute-Garonne in the Midi-Pyrénées region.-Overview:... |
Dominique Arnaud Dominique Arnaud - External links :... |
| 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... |
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... |
Toulouse Toulouse Toulouse is a city in the Haute-Garonne department in southwestern FranceIt lies on the banks of the River Garonne, 590 km away from Paris and half-way between the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea... |
Luz-Ardiden | Pello Ruiz-Cabestany |
| 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... |
Pau | 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:... |
Patrocinio Jimenez |
| 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... |
Pau | 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:... |
Raymond Martin |
| 1978 1978 Tour de France The 1978 Tour de France was the 65th Tour de France, taking place June 29 to July 23, 1978. The total race distance was 22 stages over 3908 km, with riders averaging 36.084 km/h... |
11 | 1 | Pau | Saint-Lary-Soulan Saint-Lary-Soulan Saint-Lary-Soulan is a commune in the Hautes-Pyrénées department in south-western France.-Geography:Saint-Lary is located in Hautes-Pyrénées 80 km south of the départements capital Tarbes, next to the Le Néouvielle Nature Reserve and the Pyrenees National Park and is a 20 minute drive to... Pla d'Adet |
Michel Pollentier Michel Pollentier Michel Pollentier is a Belgian former professional road bicycle racer. He became professional in 1973. The highlight of his career was his overall win in the 1977 Giro d'Italia.... |
| 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 | Auch Auch Auch is a commune in southwestern France. Located in the region of Midi-Pyrénées, it is the capital of the Gers department. Auch is the historical capital of Gascony.-The Ausci:... |
Pau | 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... |
| 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 | Saint-Lary-Soulan Saint-Lary-Soulan Saint-Lary-Soulan is a commune in the Hautes-Pyrénées department in south-western France.-Geography:Saint-Lary is located in Hautes-Pyrénées 80 km south of the départements capital Tarbes, next to the Le Néouvielle Nature Reserve and the Pyrenees National Park and is a 20 minute drive to... |
Pau | Francisco Galdos Francisco Galdós Francisco Galdós Gauna is a Spanish former professional road racing cyclist. He finished second in the 1975 Giro d'Italia and 1979 Vuelta a España, as well as third in 1972 Giro d'Italia.-External links:... |
| 1975 1975 Tour de France The 1975 Tour de France was the 62nd Tour de France, taking place June 26 to July 20, 1975. It consisted of 22 stages over 3999 km, ridden at an average speed of 34.899 km/h. Eddy Merckx was attempting to win his sixth Tour de France, but became a victim of violence. Many Frenchmen were... |
11 | 1 | Pau | Saint-Lary-Soulan Saint-Lary-Soulan Saint-Lary-Soulan is a commune in the Hautes-Pyrénées department in south-western France.-Geography:Saint-Lary is located in Hautes-Pyrénées 80 km south of the départements capital Tarbes, next to the Le Néouvielle Nature Reserve and the Pyrenees National Park and is a 20 minute drive to... Pla d'Adet |
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... |
| 1974 1974 Tour de France The 1974 Tour de France was the 61st Tour de France, taking place June 27 to July 21, 1974. It consisted of 22 stages over 4098 km, ridden at an average speed of 35.241 km/h... |
17 | Saint-Lary-Soulan Saint-Lary-Soulan Saint-Lary-Soulan is a commune in the Hautes-Pyrénées department in south-western France.-Geography:Saint-Lary is located in Hautes-Pyrénées 80 km south of the départements capital Tarbes, next to the Le Néouvielle Nature Reserve and the Pyrenees National Park and is a 20 minute drive to... |
Col du Tourmalet | Jean-Pierre Danguillaume Jean-Pierre Danguillaume Jean-Pierre Danguillaume was a French professional road bicycle racer. Between 1970 and 1978, Danguillaume won 7 stages in the Tour de France.- Palmarès :19691970... |
|
| 1974 1974 Tour de France The 1974 Tour de France was the 61st Tour de France, taking place June 27 to July 21, 1974. It consisted of 22 stages over 4098 km, ridden at an average speed of 35.241 km/h... |
18 | 1 | Bagnères-de-Bigorre Bagnères-de-Bigorre Bagnères-de-Bigorre is a French commune in the south-western Hautes-Pyrénées department, of which it is a sub-prefecture.-Notable people:Bagnères-de-Bigorre was the birthplace of:*Alan Brooke, 1st Viscount Alanbrooke... |
Pau | Gonzalo Aja Gonzalo Aja Gonzalo Aja Barquín was a Spanish professional road bicycle racer. In the 1974 Tour de France, Aja was the first cyclist on the Col du Tourmalet and the Mont Ventoux, and finished on the 5th place of the general classification.- Palmarès :19711974- External links :*... |
| 1973 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... |
14 | 1 | 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:... |
Pau | Bernard Thévenet Bernard Thévenet Bernard Thévenet, born 10 January 1948, in Saint-Julien-de-Civry, Saône-et-Loire, is a retired French bicycle racer. He is a two-time winner of the Tour de France and known for ending the reign of five-time Tour champion Eddy Merckx... |
| 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... |
8 | 1 | Pau | 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:... |
Roger Swerts Roger Swerts Roger Swerts is a Belgian former road bicycle racer.-Palmarès:196419651968196919711972Roger Swerts is a Belgian former road bicycle racer.-Palmarès:1964... |
| 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 | 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:... |
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... -les-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.... |
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... |
| 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 | Bagnères-de-Bigorre Bagnères-de-Bigorre Bagnères-de-Bigorre is a French commune in the south-western Hautes-Pyrénées department, of which it is a sub-prefecture.-Notable people:Bagnères-de-Bigorre was the birthplace of:*Alan Brooke, 1st Viscount Alanbrooke... |
Mourenx Mourenx Mourenx is a commune in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department in south-western France.-References:*... |
Andres Gandarias Andres Gandarias Andres Gandarias was a Spanish professional road bicycle racer. He finished in the top 10 of the Tour de France twice.- Palmarès :1968*... |
| 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 | La Mongie La Mongie The village of La Mongie is at 1800 metres altitude. There are also residences at 1850 and the Tourmalet building at 1900. It lies below the Col du Tourmalet . It is in the Midi-Pyrénées region of France and around 20 km from the Spanish border... |
Mourenx Mourenx Mourenx is a commune in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department in south-western France.-References:*... |
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... |
8 | 1 | Pau | Saint-Gaudens | Jean-Pierre Ducasse Jean-Pierre Ducasse Jean-Pierre Ducasse, was a professional French cyclist, who finished second in the 1967 Vuelta a España, and died in 1969 due to carbon monoxide poisoning.- Biography :... |
| 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 | 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:... |
Pau | 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... |
| 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 | Dax Dax, Landes Dax is a commune in Aquitaine in south-western France, sub-prefecture of the Landes department.It is particularly famous as a spa, specialising in mud treatment for rheumatism and similar ailments.... |
Bagnères-de-Bigorre Bagnères-de-Bigorre Bagnères-de-Bigorre is a French commune in the south-western Hautes-Pyrénées department, of which it is a sub-prefecture.-Notable people:Bagnères-de-Bigorre was the birthplace of:*Alan Brooke, 1st Viscount Alanbrooke... |
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 | 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:... |
Pau | 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... & 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... |
17 | 1 | Pau | Bagnères-de-Bigorre Bagnères-de-Bigorre Bagnères-de-Bigorre is a French commune in the south-western Hautes-Pyrénées department, of which it is a sub-prefecture.-Notable people:Bagnères-de-Bigorre was the birthplace of:*Alan Brooke, 1st Viscount Alanbrooke... |
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... & 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... |
| 1962 1962 Tour de France The 1962 Tour de France was the 49th Tour de France, taking place June 24 to July 15, 1962. It was composed of 22 stages over 4274 km, ridden at an average speed of 37.306 km/h. After more than 30 years, the Tour was again contested by trade teams... |
17 | 1 | Pau | Saint-Gaudens | 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 | 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:... |
Pau | Marcel Queheille Marcel Queheille Marcel Queheille was a French professional road bicycle racer. IN 1959, Queheille was the winner of the ninth stage of the 1959 Tour de France.- Palmarès :1956... |
| 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... |
11 | 1 | Pau | 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:... |
Kurt Gimmi Kurt Gimmi Kurt Gimmi was a Swiss professional road bicycle racer. He was born and died in Zürich and was a professional from 1958 until 1964. He won the eleventh stage of the 1960 Tour de France and the 1959 Tour de Romandie.... |
| 1959 1959 Tour de France The 1959 Tour de France was the 46th Tour de France, taking place between 25 June and 18 July 1959. The race featured 120 riders, of which 65 finished. The Tour included 22 stages over 4,391 km, and the winner had an average speed of 35.474 km/h.... |
10 | 1 | Bayonne Bayonne Bayonne is a city and commune in south-western France at the confluence of the Nive and Adour rivers, in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department, of which it is a sub-prefecture... |
Bagnères-de-Bigorre Bagnères-de-Bigorre Bagnères-de-Bigorre is a French commune in the south-western Hautes-Pyrénées department, of which it is a sub-prefecture.-Notable people:Bagnères-de-Bigorre was the birthplace of:*Alan Brooke, 1st Viscount Alanbrooke... |
Armand Desmet Armand Desmet Armand Desmet was a Belgian professional road bicycle racer. Desmet was the first winner of the E3 Prijs Vlaanderen and Rund um den Henninger-Turm... |
| 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 | Saint-Gaudens | Pau | José Da Silva José da Silva José da Silva is a Portuguese sprint canoer who competed in the early 1990s. At the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, he was eliminated in the semifinals of both the K-2 500 m and the K-2 1000 m events.-References:*... |
| 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 | Saint-Gaudens | Pau | Miguel Poblet Miguel Poblet Miguel Poblet i Orriols, born March 18, 1928 at Montcada i Reixac in the northern suburbs of Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain, is a Spanish former professional cyclist whose career lasted from 1944 to 1962, during which he had over 200 professional 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.... |
12 | 1 | Pau | 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:... |
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.... |
11 | 1 | Cauterets Cauterets Cauterets is a spa town, a ski resort and a commune in the Hautes-Pyrénées department in south-western France.-Geography:Cauterets is located southwest of Lourdes in the beautiful valley of the Gave de Cauterets and borders the Pyrenees National Park.... |
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:... |
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... |
| 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 | 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:... |
Pau | 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.... |
14 | 1 | 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.... |
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:... |
Jean Diederich |
| 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 | Pau | Saint-Gaudens | Kléber Piot |
| 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 | Pau | 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:... |
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.... |
8 | 1 | Lourdes Lourdes Lourdes is a commune in the Hautes-Pyrénées department in the Midi-Pyrénées region in south-western France.Lourdes is a small market town lying in the foothills of the Pyrenees, famous for the Marian apparitions of Our Lady of Lourdes occurred in 1858 to Bernadette Soubirous... |
Toulouse Toulouse Toulouse is a city in the Haute-Garonne department in southwestern FranceIt lies on the banks of the River Garonne, 590 km away from Paris and half-way between the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea... |
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... |
| 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 | 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:... |
Pau | 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... |
| 1939 1939 Tour de France The 1939 Tour de France was the 33rd Tour de France, taking place from 10 to 30 July 1939. The total distance was 4,224 km and the average speed of the riders was 31.986 km/h.... |
9 | 1 | Pau | Toulouse Toulouse Toulouse is a city in the Haute-Garonne department in southwestern FranceIt lies on the banks of the River Garonne, 590 km away from Paris and half-way between the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea... |
Edward Vissers Edward Vissers Edward Vissers was a Belgian professional road bicycle racer. He finished in the top 10 of the Tour de France three times.- Palmarès :1934... |
| 1938 1938 Tour de France The 1938 Tour de France was the 32nd Tour de France, taking place July 5 to July 31, 1938. It was composed of 21 stages over 4694 km, ridden at an average speed of 31.565 km/h... |
8 | 1 | Pau | Luchon | Gino Bartali Gino Bartali Gino Bartali, Cavaliere di Gran Croce OMRI was the most renowned Italian cyclist before the Second World War, having won the Giro d'Italia twice and the Tour de France in 1938... |
| 1937 1937 Tour de France The 1937 Tour de France was the 31st Tour de France, taking place June 30 to July 25, 1937. It consisted of 20 stages with a total length of 4415 km, ridden at an average speed of 31.768 km/h.... |
15 | 1 | Luchon | Pau | Julian Berrendero Julian Berrendero Julián Berrendero Martín was a Spanish road racing cyclist. He is most famous for having won the third and fourth editions of the Vuelta a España in 1941 and 1942... |
| 1936 1936 Tour de France The 1936 Tour de France was the 30th Tour de France, taking place July 7 to August 2, 1936. It was composed of 21 stages with a total length of 4,418 km, ridden at an average speed of 31.108 km/h. Because of health problems, Henri Desgrange stopped as Tour director, and was succeeded by... |
16 | 1 | Luchon | Pau | Sylvère Maes Sylvère Maes Sylvère Maes was a Belgian cyclist, who is most famous for winning the Tour de France in 1936 and 1939.- Palmarès :1932... |
| 1935 1935 Tour de France The 1935 Tour de France was the 29th Tour de France, taking place July 4 to July 28, 1935. It consisted of 21 stages over 4,338 km, ridden at an average speed of 30.650 km/h. Although the French team was favourite, Belgian Romain Maes took the lead in the first stage, and never gave it away... |
15 | 1 | Perpignan Perpignan -Sport:Perpignan is a rugby stronghold: their rugby union side, USA Perpignan, is a regular competitor in the Heineken Cup and seven times champion of the Top 14 , while their rugby league side plays in the engage Super League under the name Catalans Dragons.-Culture:Since 2004, every year in the... |
Luchon | Sylvère Maes Sylvère Maes Sylvère Maes was a Belgian cyclist, who is most famous for winning the Tour de France in 1936 and 1939.- Palmarès :1932... |
| 1934 1934 Tour de France The 1934 Tour de France was the 28th Tour de France, taking place July 3 to July 29, 1934. It consisted of 23 stages over 4,363 km, ridden at an average speed of 30.360 km/h. The race was won by Antonin Magne, who had previously won the 1931 Tour de France. The French team was dominant,... |
15 | 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.... |
Pau | René Vietto René Vietto René Vietto was a French road racing cyclist.In the 1934 Tour de France, Vietto, a relative unknown, got wings on the mountains. This was not a surprise, because he had won the Grand Prix Wolber. He was prepared for the Alps and won easily on the steepest terrain... |
|
| 1933 1933 Tour de France The 1933 Tour de France was the 27th Tour de France, taking place June 27 to July 23, 1933. It consisted of 23 stages over 4,395 km, ridden at an average speed of 29.818 km/h.... |
18 | 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.... |
Pau | Vicente Trueba Vicente Trueba Vicente Trueba Pérez was a Spanish professional road racing cyclist. He is most famous for being the first winner of King of the Mountains for winning the overall classification in the Mountains classification of Tour de France... |
|
| 1932 1932 Tour de France The 1932 Tour de France was the 26th Tour de France, taking place July 6 to July 31, 1932. It consisted of 21 stages over 4479 km, ridden at an average speed of 29.047 km/h.... |
5 | Pau | Luchon | Benoit Faure Benoît Fauré Benoît Fauré was a French professional road bicycle racer. Benoît Fauré was a brother of cyclist Eugène Fauré.- Palmarès :19271929... |
|
| 1931 1931 Tour de France The 1931 Tour de France was the 25th Tour de France, which took place from 30 June to 26 July 1931. It consisted of 24 stages over 5,091 km, ridden at an average speed of 28.735 km/h.The race was won by French cyclist Antonin Magne... |
9 | Pau | Luchon | Jef Demuysere Jef Demuysere Jef Demuysere was a Belgian professional road bicycle racer. He finished on the podium of the Tour de France in 1929 and 1931, and on the podium of the Giro d'Italia in 1932 and 1933... |
|
| 1930 1930 Tour de France The 1930 Tour de France was the 24th Tour de France, taking place from 2 to 27 July 1930. It consisted of 21 stages over 4,822 km, ridden at an average speed of 28.000 km/h.... |
9 | Pau | Luchon | Benoit Faure Benoît Fauré Benoît Fauré was a French professional road bicycle racer. Benoît Fauré was a brother of cyclist Eugène Fauré.- Palmarès :19271929... |
|
| 1929 1929 Tour de France The 1929 Tour de France was the 23rd Tour de France, taking place from 30 June to 28 July 1929. It consisted of 22 stages over 5,286 km, ridden at an average speed of 28.320 km/h.... |
9 | Bayonne Bayonne Bayonne is a city and commune in south-western France at the confluence of the Nive and Adour rivers, in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department, of which it is a sub-prefecture... |
Luchon | Victor Fontan Victor Fontan Victor Fontan was a French cyclist who led the 1929 Tour de France but dropped out after knocking at doors at night to ask for another bicycle. His plight led to a change of rules to prevent its happening again... |
|
| 1928 1928 Tour de France The 1928 Tour de France was the 22nd Tour de France, taking place June 17 to July 15, 1928. It consisted of 22 stages over 5,476 km, ridden at an average speed of 28.4 km/h... |
9 | Hendaye Hendaye Hendaye is the most south-westerly town and commune in France, lying in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department and located in the traditional province Lapurdi of the French Basque Country... |
Luchon | Camille Van de Casteele Camille van de Casteele Camille Van De Casteele was a Belgian professional road bicycle racer.- Palmarès :19251926... |
|
| 1927 1927 Tour de France The 1927 Tour de France was the 21st Tour de France, taking place June 19 to July 17, 1927. It consisted of 24 stages over 5340 km, ridden at an average speed of 27.224 km/h.... |
11 | Bayonne Bayonne Bayonne is a city and commune in south-western France at the confluence of the Nive and Adour rivers, in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department, of which it is a sub-prefecture... |
Luchon | Nicolas Frantz Nicolas Frantz Nicolas Frantz , born in Mamer, Luxembourg, was a bicycle racer with 60 professional racing victories over his 12-year career . He rode for the Thomann team in 1923 and then for Alcyon-Dunlop from 1924 to 1931. He won the Tour de France in 1927 and 1928.Nicolas Frantz was the son of a prosperous... |
|
| 1926 1926 Tour de France The 1926 Tour de France was the 20th Tour de France, taking place June 20 to July 18, 1926. It consisted of 17 stages with a total distance of 5745 km, ridden at an average speed of 24.064 km/h.... |
10 | Bayonne Bayonne Bayonne is a city and commune in south-western France at the confluence of the Nive and Adour rivers, in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department, of which it is a sub-prefecture... |
Luchon | Odiel Taillieu | |
| 1925 1925 Tour de France The 1925 Tour de France was the 19th edition and was held from June 21 to July 19, 1925 over 5430 kilometers in 18 stages. Italian cyclist Ottavio Bottecchia successfully defended his 1924 victory to win his second consecutive Tour de France... |
8 | Bayonne Bayonne Bayonne is a city and commune in south-western France at the confluence of the Nive and Adour rivers, in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department, of which it is a sub-prefecture... |
Luchon | Omer Huyse Omer Huyse Omer Huyse was a Belgian professional road bicycle racer.In 1924, he won stage five of the 1924 Tour de France. In that year, the cyclists were divided in three classes: the first class for top cyclists, the second class for lesser cyclists, and the touriste-routier class for semi-amateur cyclists... |
|
| 1924 1924 Tour de France The 1924 Tour de France was the 18th edition of the Tour de France and was won by Ottavio Bottecchia. He was the first Italian cyclist to win the Tour and the first rider to hold the yellow jersey the entire event. The race was held over 5,425 km with an average speed of 23.972 km/h... |
6 | Bayonne Bayonne Bayonne is a city and commune in south-western France at the confluence of the Nive and Adour rivers, in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department, of which it is a sub-prefecture... |
Luchon | Ottavio Bottecchia Ottavio Bottecchia Ottavio Bottecchia was an Italian cyclist and the first Italian winner of the Tour de France. He was found dead by the roadside; the reason remains a mystery.-Origins:... |
|
| 1923 1923 Tour de France The 1923 Tour de France was the 17th Tour de France, taking place June 24 to July 22, 1923. It consisted of 15 stages over 5386 km, ridden at an average speed of 24.233 km/h. The race was won by Henri Pélissier with a convincing half hour lead to his next opponent, Italian Ottavio... |
6 | Bayonne Bayonne Bayonne is a city and commune in south-western France at the confluence of the Nive and Adour rivers, in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department, of which it is a sub-prefecture... |
Luchon | Robert Jacquinot Robert Jacquinot Robert Jacquinot was a French road racing cyclist, who won two stages in the 1922 Tour de France and 2 stages in the 1923 Tour de France, and wore the yellow jersey for a total of four days. He was born in Aubervilliers, Seine-Saint-Denis and died in Bobigny.- Palmarès :1922... |
|
| 1921 1921 Tour de France The 1921 Tour de France was the 15th Tour de France, taking place June 26 to July 24, 1921. The total distance was 5484 km and the average speed of the riders was 24.720 km/h. The race was won by Belgian Leon Scieur. The Belgians dominated the entire race, partly due to the absence of the... |
6 | Bayonne Bayonne Bayonne is a city and commune in south-western France at the confluence of the Nive and Adour rivers, in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department, of which it is a sub-prefecture... |
Luchon | Hector Heusghem Hector Heusghem Hector Heusghem was a Belgian cyclist who finished second in the 1920 and 1921 Tour de France. He also won three stages, in 1920 at Aix-en-Provence and Grenoble, in 1921 in Luchon.... |
|
| 1920 1920 Tour de France The 1920 Tour de France was the 14th Tour de France, taking place from June 27 to July 27, 1920. It consisted of 15 stages over , ridden at an average speed of . It was won by Belgian Philippe Thys, making him the first cyclist to win the Tour de France three times... |
6 | Bayonne Bayonne Bayonne is a city and commune in south-western France at the confluence of the Nive and Adour rivers, in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department, of which it is a sub-prefecture... |
Luchon | Firmin Lambot Firmin Lambot Firmin Lambot was a Belgian bicycle racer who twice won the Tour de France.Born in the small town of Florennes, Lambot worked as a saddler. He worked 12 hours a day, starting at 6am. He bought his first bicycle at 17 and began riding 50 km a day to and from work. His first race was in a local... |
|
| 1919 1919 Tour de France The 1919 Tour de France was the 13th Tour de France, taking place from 29 June to 27 July 1919 over a total distance of . It was the first Tour de France after World War I, and was won by Firmin Lambot... |
6 | Bayonne Bayonne Bayonne is a city and commune in south-western France at the confluence of the Nive and Adour rivers, in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department, of which it is a sub-prefecture... |
Luchon | Honore Barthelemy Honore Barthelemy Honoré Barthélémy was a French road bicycle racer who took part and finished fifth overall and won four stages in the 1919 Tour de France. He was born in Paris, France.... |
|
| 1914 1914 Tour de France The 1914 Tour de France was the 12th Tour de France, taking place June 28 to July 26, 1914. The total distance was and the average speed of the riders was . It was won by the Belgian cyclist Philippe Thys.... |
6 | Bayonne Bayonne Bayonne is a city and commune in south-western France at the confluence of the Nive and Adour rivers, in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department, of which it is a sub-prefecture... |
Luchon | Firmin Lambot Firmin Lambot Firmin Lambot was a Belgian bicycle racer who twice won the Tour de France.Born in the small town of Florennes, Lambot worked as a saddler. He worked 12 hours a day, starting at 6am. He bought his first bicycle at 17 and began riding 50 km a day to and from work. His first race was in a local... |
|
| 1913 1913 Tour de France The 1913 Tour de France was the 11th Tour de France, taking place June 29 to July 27, 1913. The total distance was and the average speed of the riders was . The competition was won by the Belgian Philippe Thys, after in the crucial sixth stage Eugène Christophe broke his bicycle and lost several... |
6 | Bayonne Bayonne Bayonne is a city and commune in south-western France at the confluence of the Nive and Adour rivers, in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department, of which it is a sub-prefecture... |
Luchon | Philippe Thys Philippe Thys Philippe Thys was a Belgian cyclist and three times winner of the Tour de France.-Professional career:... |
|
| 1912 1912 Tour de France The 1912 Tour de France was the 10th anniversary of the Tour de France. It consisted of 15 stages for a total of . The Tour took place from 30 June to 28 July 1912. The riders rode at an average speed of 27.763 km/h. After 4 stage wins during the Tour of Belgium, the Alcyon team hired Odile... |
10 | Luchon | Bayonne Bayonne Bayonne is a city and commune in south-western France at the confluence of the Nive and Adour rivers, in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department, of which it is a sub-prefecture... |
Odile Defraye Odile Defraye Odile Defraye was a Belgian road racing cyclist who won three stages and the overall title of the 1912 Tour de France, which was the last tour decided by a points system instead of overall best time... |
|
| 1911 1911 Tour de France The 1911 Tour de France was the 9th Tour de France, taking place from 2 to 30 July 1911. It was composed of 15 stages over , ridden at an average speed of 27.322 km/h. The results were computed by giving each rider points according to his finishing position on each stage, and the rider with... |
10 | Luchon | Bayonne Bayonne Bayonne is a city and commune in south-western France at the confluence of the Nive and Adour rivers, in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department, of which it is a sub-prefecture... |
Paul Duboc Paul Duboc Paul Duboc was a French professional road bicycle racer from 1907 through 1927. Despite winning 5 career stages in the Tour de France, he may be most remembered for being disqualified at the 1919 Tour de France for borrowing a car to go and repair his pedal axle.In 1911, Duboc was close to... |
|
| 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... |
10 | Luchon | Bayonne Bayonne Bayonne is a city and commune in south-western France at the confluence of the Nive and Adour rivers, in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department, of which it is a sub-prefecture... |
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... |
|
Tour de France stage finishes
| Year | Stage | Start of stage | Distance (km) | Category | Stage winner | Yellow jersey |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1974 1974 Tour de France The 1974 Tour de France was the 61st Tour de France, taking place June 27 to July 21, 1974. It consisted of 22 stages over 4098 km, ridden at an average speed of 35.241 km/h... |
17 | Saint-Lary-Soulan Saint-Lary-Soulan Saint-Lary-Soulan is a commune in the Hautes-Pyrénées department in south-western France.-Geography:Saint-Lary is located in Hautes-Pyrénées 80 km south of the départements capital Tarbes, next to the Le Néouvielle Nature Reserve and the Pyrenees National Park and is a 20 minute drive to... |
119 | Jean-Pierre Danguillaume Jean-Pierre Danguillaume Jean-Pierre Danguillaume was a French professional road bicycle racer. Between 1970 and 1978, Danguillaume won 7 stages in the Tour de France.- Palmarès :19691970... |
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... |
|
| 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... |
17 | Pau | 174 | HC | Andy Schleck Andy Schleck Andy Raymond Schleck is a Luxembourgish professional road bicycle racer for UCI ProTour team . He is the younger brother of Fränk Schleck, who also rides for . Their father Johny Schleck rode the Tour de France and Vuelta a España between 1965 and 1974... |
Alberto Contador Alberto Contador Alberto Contador Velasco is a Spanish professional road bicycle racer for UCI ProTeam . He was the winner of the 2007 Tour de France with the team. With the Astana team he has won the 2008 Giro d'Italia, the 2008 Vuelta a España, the 2009 Tour de France, the 2010 Tour de France and won 2011 Giro... |
See also La Mongie
La Mongie
The village of La Mongie is at 1800 metres altitude. There are also residences at 1850 and the Tourmalet building at 1900. It lies below the Col du Tourmalet . It is in the Midi-Pyrénées region of France and around 20 km from the Spanish border...
Meaning of "Tourmalet"
Some Frenchmen believe that Tourmalet translates into "bad trip" or "bad detour" because in FrenchFrench language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
Tour translates into "trip" and mal translates into "bad" - however the correct language to translate from is Gascon
Gascon language
Gascon is usually considered as a dialect of Occitan, even though some specialists regularly consider it a separate language. Gascon is mostly spoken in Gascony and Béarn in southwestern France and in the Aran Valley of Spain...
, not French, because of the mountain's location in the Gascony
Gascony
Gascony is an area of southwest France that was part of the "Province of Guyenne and Gascony" prior to the French Revolution. The region is vaguely defined and the distinction between Guyenne and Gascony is unclear; sometimes they are considered to overlap, and sometimes Gascony is considered a...
-region and the "du" in the name, which is the Gascon pendant to the French "de". Then Tour becomes "distance", which is spelled "tur" but pronounced "tour", mal is translated into "mountain", and et becomes "the". The translation from Gascon to English then becomes "The Distance Mountain".
Other events
The Col du Tourmalet features in other bicycle races, including the Vuelta a EspañaVuelta a España
The Vuelta a España is a three-week road bicycle racing stage race that is one of the three "Grand Tours" of Europe and part of the UCI World Ranking calendar. The race lasts three weeks and attracts cyclists from around the world. The race is broken into day-long segments, called stages...
when it has made excursions into France. It is also on the route of cyclosportive
Cyclosportive
A cyclosportive, or often simply sportive, is a short to long distance, organised, mass-participation cycling event, typically held annually....
competitions. Thousands of amateur riders make the climb every year and many take documents to have rubber-stamped in the shop at the summit to show they have made it.
See also
- List of highest paved roads in Europe
- List of mountain passes