Col de la Croix de Fer

For other places sharing the name 'Pass of the cross' please see Col de la Croix (disambiguation)
Col de la Croix de Fer

The cross at Col de la Croix de Fer
Elevation 2,067 m (6,781 ft)
Traversed by D 926
Location Savoie, France
Range Dauphiné Alps
Coordinates 45°13′39″N 06°12′12″E / 45.22750°N 6.20333°ECoordinates: 45°13′39″N 06°12′12″E / 45.22750°N 6.20333°E
Col de la Croix de Fer

Col de la Croix de Fer

Col de la Croix de Fer (English: Pass of the Iron Cross) (el. 2067 m.) is a high mountain pass in the French Alps linking Le Bourg-d'Oisans and Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne.

Details of climb

The approach from the northeast from Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne is 29.5 km at an average gradient of 5.5% with some sections at 9.5%, and the one from the southwest from Rochetaillée 31.5 km at an average gradient of 5.75% with short sections in excess of 11%. When coming from Rochetaillée, the road forks 2.5 km before the summit, leading to the Col du Glandon. There is also an approach from the north from La Chambre via Col du Glandon which is the hardest: 22.7 km at an average gradient of 7.0% (this is the route used for the 2012 Tour de France).

Tour de France

The pass has featured in the Tour de France sixteen times since it was first passed in the 1947 tour when the race was led over the summit by Fermo Camellini. It was crossed on Stage 11 of the 2012 race, between Albertville and La Toussuire-Les Sybelles.[1]

Appearances in Tour de France

Tour de France at the Col de la Croix de Fer, 2006
Year Stage Category Start Finish Leader at the summit
2012 11 HC Albertville La Toussuire-Les Sybelles  Fredrik Kessiakoff (SWE)
2008 17 HC Embrun Alpe d'Huez  Peter Velits (SVK)
2006 16 HC Le Bourg-d'Oisans La Toussuire  Michael Rasmussen (DEN)
1999 10 HC Sestrières Alpe d'Huez  Stéphane Heulot (FRA)
1998 15 HC Grenoble Les Deux Alpes  Rodolfo Massi (ITA)
1995 10 HC AimeLa Plagne Alpe d'Huez  Richard Virenque (FRA)
1992 14 HC Sestrières Alpe d'Huez  Eric Boyer (FRA)
1989 17 HC Briançon Alpe d'Huez  Gert-Jan Theunisse (NED)
1986 18 1 BriançonSerre Chevalier Alpe d'Huez  Bernard Hinault (FRA)
1966 16 1 Bourg-d'Oisans Briançon  Joaquim Galera (ESP)
1963 16 1 Grenoble Val-d'Isère  Federico Bahamontes (ESP)
1961 10 1 Grenoble Turin  Guy Ignolin (FRA)
1956 18 1 Turin Grenoble  René Marigil (ESP)
1952 11 1 Bourg-d'Oisans Sestrières  Fausto Coppi (ITA)
1948 14 1 Briançon Aix-les-Bains  Gino Bartali (ITA)
1947 8 1 Grenoble Briançon  Fermo Camellini (ITA)

See also

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Col de la Croix de Fer.