Cycling Col d’Aspin from Arreau
Ride 12 kilometers gaining 800 meters at 6.6% average grade.
This is one of the more scenic and famous of Pyrenees’ passes, connecting Sainte-Marie-de-Campan and Arreau. The climb has been made quite famous by being featured many times (72 as of 2022) in the Tour de France.
Signs near the start of the climb, just north of Arreau.
Left: La Neste d’Aure, Arrea.
Right: View back at Arreau from km 4.7.
Precisely the midway point.
First 6 km markers.
Final km markers.
That’s a wrap!
TOUR DE FRANCE HISTORY
PJAMM CYCLING’S TOP 10 MOST FREQUENT CLIMBS OF THE TOUR DE FRANCE -
AND 10 FAMOUS ONES AFTER THAT
As of 2022 Col d’Aspin has been featured 73 times in the TdF
© PJAMMCycing.com
This climb is one of the most well known in the world because of the frequency it has been featured in the Tour de France - a staggering 73 times in 109 editions - 67% of all TdFs.
Col d’Aspin was first included in the TdF in 1910 on Stage 10 (326 km; coined the Circle of Death), won by Octave Lapize. This was the first year the Pyrenees (or any mountains) were included in the tour Stage 10 (July 21, 1910) included Col du Peyresourde, Col d’Aspin, Col du Tourmalet and, finally, Col d’Aubisque and began at 3:30 a.m. due to concern that many riders would need the extra time to finish. Although Lapize won the stage, he had to walk his bike at times and as he passed over the Aubisque summit shouted “murderers” or “assassins,” and that he would quit at the bottom of the Aubisque to the tour organizers (most notably not race director Henri Desgrange, who apparently anticipated hostility from the route and was not in attendance). Only 10 riders officially completed the stage, Lapize among them. Octavio Lapize won the 1910 Tour de France but died at the age of 29 in WWI.
Octave Lapize -- the first rider (hiker?) over Tourmalet, 1910 - after Peyresoure and Aspin and before Aubisque.
Photo: Cycling Passion, Octave Lapize walks over the Col du Tourmalet.
Tour de France history since 1947 (from Wikipedia):
(Information from Wikipedia - Col d’Aspin.)