Page Contributor(s): Ard Oostra, Montreux, Switzerland.
INTRO
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Page Contributor(s): Ard Oostra, Montreux, Switzerland.
Cycling La Planche des Belles Filles
Ride 5.9 kilometers gaining 496 meters at 8.4% average grade.
This bike climb has become fairly famous by virtue of its 6 appearances in the Tour de France between 2012 and 2022. In 2020 and 2022 the route added an unpaved final kilometer past the ski station and this route is known as La Super Planche des Belles Filles. The climb is always a stage finish. Chris Froome won the first stage featuring La Planche des Belles Filles in 2012 and Tadej Pogacar won the 2020 stage.
The climb begins a few kilometers north of Les Roches (2019 population 267).
A very pleasant and short ride from Le Roches to climb start.
Climb begins by riding east on D16E at the La Planche sign.
There are plenty signs of the TdF along the climb.
2 kilometers to the top.
The climb finishes at Planch des Belles Filles Ski Station which is located in the Vosges Mountains.
Finish.
Thank you Ard!!
TOUR DE FRANCE HISTORY
La Planche des Belles Filles is one of the newest significant and frequently appearing of climbs in the Tour de France. It has been included in the Tour every two years on average since its first appearance in 2012 when Chris Froome was first to the top. Since then stage winners have been Vincenzo Nibali (ITA; 2014), Fabio Aru (ITA; 2017), Dylan Teuns (BEL; 2019) and Tadej Pogacar (SLO; 2020).
Chris Froome edged Cadel Evans over the last 100 meters of the climb to win TdF 2012 Stage 7
Photo: Cyclingweekly.com
Pogacar rode the race of a lifetime and took the yellow jersey the final day of racing 2020
Despite no hard feelings between Pogacar and his best friend in the peloton, Primož Roglič, Primož is determined to not let his friend steal the yellow jersey from him again, training hard at the discipline to win the Time Trial in the Olympics last year. This year’s Tour is sure to be an exciting slugfest between the 2 most talented riders in the world.