Skip to content
pre ttech engineering

pre ttech engineering

September 3, 2023September 3, 2023

Col Du Tourmalet – The Most Famous Climb in Road Cycling

Col du tourmalet is one of the most famous climbs in road cycling. It has been used on many Tour de France stages and is a key part of the route between the towns of Pau and Luz Saint Sauveur. It first appeared in the race in 1910 and Octave Lapize was the first person to win King of the Mountains for crossing the summit. It was also climbed in the 1952 Tour de France by Fausto Coppi and again in 2021 when Tadej Pogacar won the polka-dot jersey for reaching the top on stage 18.

The climb is split into two parts with the western approach being the more interesting and more challenging. The start is at a large ski station and it takes you past some impressive mountain lakes to the base of the climb. The first section is relatively easy but the difficulty starts to ramp up around five kilometres from the summit. The final kilometres average 8% and are brutal. The views of the surrounding Pyrenean giants from the summit are fantastic and well worth the effort.

It is often very windy on the summit and this can make the climb even more difficult. It is best to aim for the summit before midday if possible to avoid the worst of the winds. The summit is marked with a memorial to the man who organised the Tour de France between 1936 and 1987, Jacques Goddet, and a statue of Octave Lapize gasping for breath. There is a small cafe at the summit that provides hot food, drinks and snacks but it can be busy so arrive early to ensure you have a seat.

On the eastern side of the pass is a smaller village called Sainte Marie de Campan that has a couple of restaurants that are open in the summer. The village forge is a reminder of the 1913 saga of Eugene Christophe’s broken fork which forced him to walk 14km back to Sainte Marie de Campan and craft himself a new fork from a local blacksmith.

There are some great hotels near the col du tourmalet. We recommend the Hotel Les Ecrins in Sainte Marie de Campan or the Residence les Alpilles at Bagneres-de-Bigorre, both of which are excellent value for money and very close to the climb.

The Col du tourmalet is an iconic climb that should be on every road cyclist’s bucket list. It is a truly spectacular mountain pass that is a must-visit on any cycling holiday in the French Pyrenees.

2023 is set to be a busy year for the col with the Tour de France, Tour de France Femmes and Vuelta a Espana all climbing it. I will be heading to watch at least one of the races and can’t wait to see some epic battles on this legendary climb.

ACTIVITY

Post navigation

Previous post
Next post

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recent Posts

  • 500+ Best Chatbot Name Ideas to Get Customers to Talk
  • 500+ Best Chatbot Name Ideas to Get Customers to Talk
  • 13 Best AI Shopping Chatbots for Shopping Experience
  • Best 25 Shopping Bots for eCommerce Online Purchase Solutions
  • linkedin download for windows ✓ Get LinkedIn App for Windows Now!

Recent Comments

No comments to show.

Archives

  • March 2025
  • February 2025
  • January 2025
  • December 2024
  • November 2024
  • October 2024
  • September 2024
  • August 2024
  • July 2024
  • June 2024
  • May 2024
  • April 2024
  • March 2024
  • February 2024
  • January 2024
  • December 2023
  • November 2023
  • October 2023
  • September 2023
  • August 2023
  • July 2023
  • June 2023
  • May 2023
  • April 2023
  • March 2023
  • February 2023
  • January 2023
  • June 2021
  • May 2021
  • April 2021
  • March 2021
  • February 2021
  • January 2021
  • December 2020
  • November 2020
  • June 2020
  • August 5

Categories

  • ABOUT US
  • ACTIVITY
  • General
  • How to
  • Iphone
  • Management
  • Mobile
  • Setup
©2025 pre ttech engineering | WordPress Theme by SuperbThemes