Ax 3 Domaines
| Ax 3 Domaines | |
|---|---|
 The blue piste "Bonascre" at Ax 3 Domaines | |
| Nearest city | Ax-les-Thermes |
| Coordinates | 42°42′03″N 1°48′50″E / 42.70083°N 1.81389°ECoordinates: 42°42′03″N 1°48′50″E / 42.70083°N 1.81389°E |
| Top elevation | 2,400 m (7,900 ft) |
| Base elevation | 1,400 m (4,600 ft) |
| Runs | 17 |
| Website |
www |
Ax 3 Domaines is a winter sports resort situated in the commune of Ax-les-Thermes, departement of Ariège, in France. Since 2001, the climb to the ski station has been used as a stage finish in the Tour de France cycle race.
On 6 July 2013, the eighth stage of the Tour de France finished in the resort at an altitude of 1,375 m (4,511 ft).[1]
Details of the climb
The climb commences at Ax-les-Thermes from where the ascent is 7.8 km (4.8 mi) long gaining 670 m (2,198 ft) at an average gradient of 8.6%, although several sections exceed 10%.[2] The Tour de France finish varies from year to year; in 2013, the finish line was at 1,375 m (4,511 ft) although the "summit" of the climb was at 1,350 m (4,429 ft), 1.5 km (0.9 mi) before the stage finish.[3]
Tour de France
The climb has been used in five stages of the Tour de France cycle race with its first appearance coming in 2001, when it was referred to as "Ax-les-Thermes – Plateau de Bonascre".[4] In 2013, it was the finish of the eighth stage from Castres, when British rider, Chris Froome, dominated the climb to take the maillot jaune.[3]
Tour de France stage finishes
| Year | Stage | Category | Start of stage | Distance (km) | Stage winner | Yellow jersey |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 8 | 1 | Castres | 195 |  Chris Froome (GBR) |
Chris Froome (GBR) |
| 2010 | 14 | 1 | Revel | 184.5 |  Christophe Riblon (FRA) |
 Andy Schleck (LUX) |
| 2005 | 14 | 1 | Agde | 220.5 |  Georg Totschnig (AUT) |
 Lance Armstrong (USA) |
| 2003 | 13 | 1 | Toulouse | 197.5 |  Carlos Sastre (ESP) |
Lance Armstrong (USA) |
| 2001 | 12 | 1 | Perpignan | 166.5 |  Félix Cárdenas (COL) |
François Simon (FRA) |
References
- ↑ Glendenning, Barry (6 July 2013). "Tour de France 2013: stage eight". The Guardian. Retrieved 6 July 2013.
- ↑ "Ax Bonascre - Ax-3-Domaines: Ax les Thermes". Climb by Bike. Retrieved 10 July 2013.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 "Stage 8: Castres to Ax 3 Domaines Boom: Froome blows the race to pieces!". Tour de France. Amaury Sport Organisation. Retrieved 28 June 2013.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 "Plateau de Bonascre ou Ax 3 Domaines dans le Tour de France" (in French). ledicodutour. Retrieved 10 July 2013.
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