- Col du Télégraphe
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Col du Télégraphe Elevation 1,566 m (5,138 ft) Location Location 
Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, FranceRange Graian Alps Coordinates 45°12′9″N 6°26′40″E / 45.2025°N 6.44444°E Col du Télégraphe is a mountain pass in the French Alps situated above the Maurienne valley between the eastern end of the massif d'Arvan-Villards and the massif des Cerces.
The pass links Saint-Michel-de-Maurienne to the north and Valloire to the south, as well as forming an access point to the col du Galibier via its north face.
The route is often used during the ascent to Col du Galibier in the Tour de France, and is thus popular with cyclists.
Contents
Details of the climb
Sign at the top of the Col du Télégraphe
From the north, starting at Saint-Michel-de-Maurienne, the climb is 11.8 km long, gaining 856 m. in height (an average of 7.3%). The maximum gradient is 9.8% at the summit.
From the south, the climb starts at Valloire and is 4.8 km long at an average gradient of 3.4% (height gain: 165 m).
The Tour de France
The Col du Télégraphe was first used in the Tour de France in 1911; the first rider over the summit was Emile Georget.
Since 1947, the Col du Télégraphe has been crossed 29 times by the Tour de France. On several of those occasions it has not been ranked for points in the King of the Mountains competition, being treated as part of the descent from the Col du Galibier, and has been ranked for points only 18 times.
In the 2007 Tour, the Col du Télégraphe was crossed on 17 July in the 159.5 km stage 9 from Val-d'Isère to Briançon. Euskaltel-Euskadi rider Mikel Astarloza was the first man over the top.
Appearances in the Tour de France (since 1947)
Year Stage Category Leader at the summit 2007 9 1 Mikel Astarloza 2006 16 - 2005 11 1 Santiago Botero 2003 8 2 Pierrick Fédrigo 2002 16 - 2000 15 - 1999 9 1 José-Luis Arrieta 1998 15 2 Rodolfo Massi 1993 10 2 Thierry Claveyrolat 1992 14 - 1989 17 - 1987 21 2 Thierry Claveyrolat 1986 18 - 1984 18 - 1980 17 - 1979 17 2 Giovanni Battaglin 1974 11 2 Herman Van Springel 1973 8 - 1972 14a 3 Pietro Campagnari 1969 10 2 Joaquim Galera 1967 10 2 Julio Jiménez 1966 16 2 Julio Jimenez 1964 8 2 Federico Bahamontes 1959 18 - 1957 10 2 Gastone Nencini 1955 8 2 Charly Gaul 1954 19 HC Jean Dotto 1952 11 - 1948 14 - 1947 8 1 Fermo Camellini See also
- List of highest paved roads in Europe
- List of mountain passes
- Fort du Télégraphe, the fortification at the crest of the pass, the location of the semaphore station that gave the pass its name
External links
- Profile on climbbybike.com
- Le col du Télégraphe dans le Tour de France (French)
- CYCLEFILM's Video Reconnaissance of Col du Télégraphe (Part of La Marmotte Guide DVD)
Coordinates: 45°12′9″N 6°26′40″E / 45.2025°N 6.44444°E
Categories:- Mountain passes of the Alps
- Climbs in cycle racing
- Mountain passes of France
- Savoie
- Hautes-Alpes
- 2007 Tour de France
- Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur geography stubs
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