Col d'Izoard () is a 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 Déserte, this area has formed a dramatic backdrop to some key moments in the Tour de France and at times in the Giro d'Italia, and often featured in iconic 1950s black-and-white photos of the race.Université Libre de Bruxelles
Cycle racing
Details of the climb
From the south, the climb starts at Guillestre from where it is in length, at an average gradient of 4.8%. The climb proper starts at the junction with the D947, near Chateau Queyras from where the ascent is long. Over this distance, the climb gains at an average of 6.9% and a maximum sustained gradient of 12%.
The climb from Briançon, to the north-west, via Cervières to the col is in length, climbing at an average gradient of 5.8% and a maximum gradient of 9.4%.
On both sides mountain pass cycling milestones are placed every kilometre. They indicate the current height, the height of the summit, the distance to the summit, as well as the average slope in the following kilometre.
In general, the col is closed from October to early June.
Tour de France The Col d'Izoard is frequently on the route of the Tour de France, where it is frequently classified as an Hors Categorie climb. Warren Barguil won the 2017 Tour de France's Stage 18, becoming the first cyclist to win a Tour de France stage that finished on the Col d'Izoard – it has been on the route 34 times previously in the Tour de France since 1922 but never before had a stage finished there.
Several of the Tour de France's more memorable moments have occurred on the Col d'Izoard, particularly the exploits of Gino Bartali, Fausto Coppi, Louison Bobet and Bernard Thévenet. A small cycling museum is at the summit, along with a memorial to Coppi and Bobet.
Appearances in the Tour de France YearStageCategoryStartFinishLeader at the summit201918 HEmbrunValloire201718 HBriançon Col d'Izoard201414 HGrenobleRisoul201118 H Pinerolo Galibier/Serre-Chevalier200615 HGapAlpe d'Huez2003 9 HBourg-d'OisansGap2000 14 H Draguignan Briançon1993 11 1 Serre-Chevalier Isola 20001989 16 HGap Briançon1986 17 HGap Serre-Chevalier1976 10 1 Bourg-d'Oisans Montgenèvre1975 16 1 Barcelonnette Serre-Chevalier1973 8 1 Moûtiers Les Orres1972 13 1 Orcières-Merlette Briançon1965 16 1Gap Briançon1962 18 1 Antibes/Juan-les-Pins Briançon1960 16 1Gap Briançon1958 20 1Gap Briançon1956 17 1Gap Turin1954 18 1 Grenoble Briançon1953 18 1Gap Briançon1951 20 1Gap Briançon1950 18 1Gap Briançon1949 16 1 Cannes Briançon1948 13 1 Cannes Briançon1947 9 1 Briançon Digne1939 15 Digne Briançon1938 14 Digne Briançon1937 9 Briançon Digne1936 9 Briançon Digne1927 16 Nice Briançon1926 14 Nice Briançon1925 13 Nice Briançon1924 10 Nice Briançon1923 10 Nice Briançon1922 10 Nice Briançon
Giro d'Italia The Col d'Izoard was 7 times on the route of the Giro d'Italia. The most famous passage over the Col was in 1949, when Coppi beat Bartali in the memorable stage from Cuneo to Pinerolo, taking the pink jersey.
Appearances in the Giro d'Italia YearStageStartFinishLeader at the summit200712ScalengheBriançon200019SaluzzoBriançon199614Santuario di VicoforteBriançon199420CuneoLes Deux Alpes198221CuneoPinerolo196420CuneoPinerolo1949 17 Cuneo Pinerolo
See also List of highest paved roads in Europe List of mountain passes Souvenir Henri Desgrange
References
Further reading
External links
Cycling up to the Col d'Izoard: data, profile, map, photos and description