Col d'Aubisque

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Col d'Aubisque
Elevation 1,709 metres (5,607 feet)
Location Pyrénées-Atlantiques, Flag of France France
Range Pyrenees
Coordinates 42°58′36″N, 0°20′23″W
Traversed by D918

Col d'Aubisque (el. 1709 m.) is a mountain pass in the Pyrenees about thirty km south of Tarbes and Pau in the department of the Pyrénées-Atlantiques (64), in the Aquitaine region of France.

The pass is located on the northern slopes of the Pic de Ger (2613 m.) and connects Laruns in the “vallée d'Ossau” via Eaux-Bonnes (west) to Argelès-Gazost in the valley of the Gave de Pau via the Col de Soulor (east). The road crosses the cirque du Litor, in the upper part of the Ouzom valley. It is in generally closed to traffic from the beginning of December to the beginning of June.

The pass is a starting point of excursions and a centre for winter sports. In summer, it is popular with touring cyclists. It is regularly part of the Tour de France and is generally rated an Hors Categorie climb.

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[edit] Details of the climb

On the west side, the climb to the Aubisque starts in Laruns. Starting from Laruns, the Col d'Aubisque is 16.6 km long. Over this distance, the climb is 1190 m. (an average of 7.2 %). The first few km., to the spa resort of Eaux-Bonnes, are fairly easy. After the Cascade de Valentin, things get really hard with a section at 13%. From there to the top, the climb is 8 km at 8% average. The road passes through the spa resort of Gourette at 1400m.

The east side is climbed after the Col de Soulor (1474 m). Starting from Argelès Gazost, the Col du Soulor is 19.48 km long. Over this distance, the climb is 1019 m. (an average of 5.2%). This climb only gets tough after the village of Arrens with zones of 10% and more. From the Col de Soulor, the climb to the Col d'Aubisque is a 10.6 km, gaining a further 235m. (net). The road from the Col de Soulor is a very spectacular, attractive road running along cliffs in the Cirque du Litor, where the traffic is controlled through two short, narrow tunnels. From the cirque du Litor, the climb is 7.5 km at 4.6 % (height gain: 350 m).

[edit] Tour de France

In common with many of the famous Pyrenean cycle climbs, the Col d’Aubisque first appeared in the Tour de France in 1910, and was first crossed by François Lafourcade. It has appeared frequently since then, more than once every two years.

[edit] Tour de France stage finishes

Stage 16 of the 2007 Tour de France finished at the summit of the Col d’Aubisque. There has been one previous finish at the summit (in 1985).

Year Stage Start of stage Distance (km) Category of climb Stage winner Yellow jersey
2007 16 Orthez 218.5 HC Michael Rasmussen Michael Rasmussen
1985 18a Luz-Saint-Sauveur 52.5 1 Stephen Roche Bernard Hinault
1971 16a Bagnères-de-Luchon 145 1 Bernard Labourdette Eddy Merckx

The finish of stage 16 of the 2007 tour has been named Gourette-col d'Aubisque.

The finish of stage 16a of the 1971 tour was at the ski station at Gourette which is located on the western slopes at 1385 m. The second half of this stage was 57.5 km from Gourette to Pau and was won by Herman Van Springel.

[edit] Passages in the Tour de France (since 1947)

There have been 42 passages over the summit since 1947, making it the second most visited mountain in the race’s history.

Year Stage Category Leader at the summit
2005 16 HC Cadel Evans
2002 11 HC Laurent Jalabert
2000 10 HC Javier Ochoa
1999 16 1 Alberto Elli
1998 10 HC Cédric Vasseur
1996 17 1 Neil Stephens
1995 16 2 Stage neutralised
1993 17 1 Claudio Chiappucci
1991 13 HC Guido Winterberg
1990 17 HC Oscar Vargas
1989 9 HC Miguel Indurain
1987 14 HC Thierry Claveyrolat
1985 18b HC Reynel Montoya
1983 10 HC Lucien Van Impe
1982 12 1 Beat Breu
1980 13 HC Maurice Le Guilloux
1977 2 HC Hennie Kuiper
1976 15 1 Wladimiro Panizza
1972 7 1 Wilfried David
1971 16 1 Bernard Labourdette
1970 19 1 Raymond Delisle
1969 17 1 Eddy Merckx
1968 12 1 Julio Jimenez
1967 17 1 Jean-Claude Theilliere
1966 10 1 Tomasso De Pra
1965 9 1 Julio Jimenez
1964 16 1 Federico Bahamontes
1963 10 1 Federico Bahamontes
1961 17 1 Eddy Pauwels
1960 10 1 Graziano Battistini
1958 13 1 Federico Bahamontes
1957 18 1 Jean Dotto
1956 11 1 Valentin Huot
1955 18 1 Charly Gaul
1954 11 1 Federico Bahamontes
1953 10 1 Jesus Lorono
1952 18 1 Fausto Coppi
1951 13 1 Raphaël Géminiani
1950 11 1 Jean Robic
1949 11 1 Fausto Coppi
1948 7 1 Bernard Gauthier
1947 15 1 Jean Robic

[edit] External links

Coordinates: 42°58′36″N, 0°20′23″W