| Col de la Madeleine | |
|---|---|
) North side of the Col de la Madeleine in January | |
| Elevation | 1,993 m (6,539 ft) |
| Traversed by | D213 |
| Location | Savoie, France |
| Range | Alps |
| Coordinates | 45°26′05″N 6°22′32″E / 45.43472°N 6.37556°E |
)  Col de la Madeleine Location of Col de la Madeleine | |
Col de la Madeleine (el. 1,993 m.) is a high mountain pass in the Alps in the department of Savoie in France which connects La Chambre in Maurienne with La Léchère in Tarentaise. The pass is closed from November to the beginning of June. It has been described as "beautiful, but heartbreaking".[1]
Cycling
Details of the climb
)
The southern approach from La Chambre (via the D213) is 19.05 km. long, gaining 1,522 m. at an average gradient of 8%.[2] Alternatively, the route via the D76 is 19.8 km. long, climbing 1,520 m. at an average of 7.7%.[3]
The northern approach can be accessed via Feissons-sur-Isère. From Feissons-sur-Isère (through La Léchère), the climb is 25.3 km. long, gaining 1,585 m. at an average gradient of 6.2%. For the 2012 Tour de France, the height at the summit is shown as 2,000 m., whereas in previous years it has been shown as 1,993 m.[4]
From Aigueblanche, the climb is 28.28 km. long, climbing 1,533 m. at an average of 5.4%.[5]
On both sides of the Col de la Madeleine mountain pass cycling milestones are placed every kilometre. They indicate the distance to the summit, the current height, and the average slope in the following kilometre. Such signposting for cyclists has become common in most major mountain passes in the French Pyrenees and Alps.
Appearances in Tour de France
The pass was first included in the Tour de France in 1969 and has since featured 25 times.[4]
It has been ranked hors catégorie, every year since 1995.
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See also
- List of highest paved roads in Europe
- List of mountain passes
- Souvenir Henri Desgrange
References
- ^ "July 12: Stage 11". Tour de France 2012: Five key days to make or break Bradley Wiggins. Daily Telegraph. 10 July 2012. Retrieved 10 July 2012.
- ^ "Col de la Madeleine: La Chambre via D213". www.climbbybike.com. Retrieved 10 July 2012.
- ^ "Col de la Madeleine: La Chambre via D76". www.climbbybike.com. Retrieved 10 July 2012.
- ^ a b "Le col de la Madeleine dans le Tour de France". ledicodutour.com (in French). Retrieved 9 July 2012.
- ^ "Col de la Madeleine: Aigueblanche". www.climbbybike.com. Retrieved 10 July 2012.