- Col d'Izoard
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Col d'Izoard
Memorial at the top of Col d'IzoardElevation 2,361 m (7,746 ft) Location Location of Col d'Izoard Location Hautes-Alpes, France
Range Alps Coordinates 44°49′12″N 06°44′07″E / 44.82°N 6.73528°ECoordinates: 44°49′12″N 06°44′07″E / 44.82°N 6.73528°E Col d'Izoard (el. 2361 m.) is a high mountain pass in the Alps in the department of Hautes-Alpes in France.
It is accessible in summer via the D902 road, connecting Briançon on the north and the valley of the Guil in Queyras, which ends at Guillestre in the south. There are forbidding and barren scree slopes with protruding pinnacles of weathered rock on the upper south side. Known as the Casse Desert this area has formed a dramatic backdrop to some key moments in the Tour de France, and often feature in iconic 1950s black-and-white photos of the race.[1] [2]
Contents
Tour de France
The Col d'Izoard is frequently on the route of the Tour de France. It is classified as an Hors Categorie climb. The southern climb from Guillestre is 15.9 km in length and has an average gradient of 6.9%. The climb from Briançon to the Col is 20 km in length and has an average gradient of 5.8%.[1]
Several of the Tour de France's more memorable moments have occurred on the Col d'Izoard, particularly the exploits of Fausto Coppi, Bernard Thevenet and Louison Bobet. A small cycling museum is at the summit, along with a memorial to Coppi and Bobet.
Riders first to the top in the Tour de France
Year Name Country 2011 Maxim Iglinsky Kazakhstan
2006 Stefano Garzelli Italy
2003 Aitor Garmendia Arbilla Spain
2000 Santiago Botero Colombia
1993 Claudio Chiappucci Italy
1989 Pascal Richard Switzerland
1986 Eduardo Chozas Spain
1976 Lucien Van Impe Belgium
1975 Bernard Thévenet France
1973 José-Manuel Fuente Spain
1972 Eddy Merckx Belgium
1965 Joaquim Galera Spain
1960 Imerio Massignan Italy
1958 Federico Bahamontes Spain
1956 Valentin Huot France
1954 Louison Bobet France
1953 Louison Bobet France
1951 Fausto Coppi Italy
1950 Louison Bobet France
1949 Fausto Coppi Italy
1948 Gino Bartali Italy
1947 Jean Robic France
1939 Sylvère Maes Belgium
1938 Gino Bartali Italy
1937 Julian Berrendero Spain
1936 Sylvère Maes Belgium
1927 Nicolas Frantz Luxembourg
1926 Bartolomeo Aymo Italy
1925 Bartolomeo Aymo Italy
1924 Nicolas Frantz Luxembourg
1923 Henri Pélissier France
1922 Philippe Thijs Belgium
See also
- List of highest paved roads in Europe
- List of mountain passes
External links
References
Categories:- Mountain passes of France
- Mountain passes of the Alps
- Climbs in cycle racing
- Hautes-Alpes
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