Tourmalet: legend of world cycling.

The Tourmalet passAt 2115m above sea level, it is, without fear of exaggeration, the most famous pass in the Tour de France and in the world.

Its relationship with the Grande Boucle began in 1910, when it was included in that year's edition. The organisers were looking for a challenge with mountainous difficulties, but Henri Desgrange, patron of the race, feared that the Pyrenees would be too tough for the riders.

So Desgrange sent Alphonse Steinés from Paris to inspect the Tourmalet. Undaunted, Steinés arrived at the Tourmalet in a chauffeur-driven car and, four kilometres from the summit, continued on foot. Despite the storm, Steinès sent a brief message the following day: "Crossed the Tourmalet. Very good route. Perfectly practicable".

Access

The Tourmalet has two equally tough slopes, the West from Luz-St. Sauveur and the East from Ste.Marie de Campan.

The road linking the two sides is the D918, a road with asphalt in perfect condition and heavy weekend and holiday traffic.

From Luz-Saint-Sauveur The climb is fairly steady with gradients of around 7% all the way to the village of Barèges. At the exit of Barèges is the hardest part of the climb with a ramp of 13%. Then the gradient decreases for a couple of kilometres with an average gradient of 6%, before steepening again with a final 7 kilometres of around 8%. In total 1400 metres of elevation gain and 19 kilometres of pass.

From Ste Marie de Campan the climb is equally tough. It starts with 4 kilometres of fairly easy going, even with some downhill, where the average gradient is around 4%. From Gripp onwards, the gradient changes and the gradient is maintained for 9 kilometres, always above 8%, even 9%, with gradients of 10, 12 and even 13%. Arriving at the resort of La Mongie, 4 kilometres from the finish, is the key point to launch our attack if we want to open up a gap with the group. In total 17 kms of ascent and 1250m of gradient.

The statue of Octave le Géant

This 3 metre high, 350 kg sculpture, known as the Octave the Géantstands in memory of Octave LapizeThe first cyclist to climb the Tourmalet during a stage of the Tour de France in 1910, in a stage lasting 326 km and 14 hours. As a curiosity, to protect it from the cold between October and June (approximately), the Laurent Fignon centre is located in Gerde, near Bagneres-de-Bigorre.

At the beginning of June, the statue will once again climb the Tourmalet, accompanied by hundreds of cycling enthusiasts. Montée du GeantA sort of impromptu cycle tour where you can meet some of the greatest cyclists in history.

Curiosities

The Tourmalet is closed all winter long and is part of the ski routes of La Mongie resort.

The Tourmalet pass did not have a road until Napoleon III ordered its construction in 1846 as part of a thermal route.

The name Tourmalet is often associated with "bad trip", as that is the meaning in French. However, the original language is Gascon, where Tourmalet means "the mountain in the distance".

From the top of the Tourmalet there is a dirt track that goes almost to the top of the Midi Bigorre (2876m) and can be climbed by mountain bike.