Date: Friday 22nd June
Route: Col d’Izoard
Distance: 58 miles
Ascent: 3,900 – 7,750 ft
Information: Col d’Izoard (el. 2361 m.) is a high mountain pass in the Alps in the department of Hautes-Alpes in France.
The Col d’Izoard is frequently on the route of the Tour de France. It is classified as an Hors Categorie climb. The southern climb from Guillestre is 15.9 km in length and has an average gradient of 6.9%. The climb from Briançon to the Col is 20 km in length and has an average gradient of 5.8%.
Several of the Tour de France’s more memorable moments have occurred on the Col d’Izoard, particularly the exploits of Fausto Coppi, Bernard Thevenet and Louison Bobet. A small cycling museum is at the summit, along with a memorial to Coppi and Bobet.