Tour de France
Phénomén’Alpes
Big eventTheHautes-Alpes
is an integral part of the Tour’s history
The Hautes-Alpes is inextricably linked with the history and grandeur of the Tour de France, through the beauty of its landscapes and the remarkable feats of the riders who have graced its mountain passes.
Since 1922, the Tour de France has visited the Hautes-Alpes 91 times, making this Alpine region “one of the most visited of the Grande Boucle “. The names of the legendary cols resonate like an echo: Izoard, Granon, Galibier…
The Tour in the Hautes-Alpes, the big story
Since 1905, the year the Tour de France first passed over the Col Bayard, the Hautes-Alpes region has been unrolling the pages of a book devoted entirely to cycling. Here we come across history with a capital “H”, exploits and sweat, smiles and tears. ” When we came here over a century ago, the Tour de France changed dimension “, recalled Christian Prudhomme, the event’s director. The story goes on.
A unique atmosphere
When the Tour de France passes through the Hautes-Alpes, the entire region is transformed into a veritable people’s party. Days before the riders arrive, villages are decked out with banners, campervans set up on the slopes of the legendary cols, barbecues are lit and conversations are lively in a convivial atmosphere. On D-Day, the wait is punctuated by the colorful passage of the advertising caravan, before the excitement culminates with the arrival of the peloton, greeted by shouts, applause and fervor that remind us just how much the Tour here is a celebration as much as a competition.
Reserved collars
With the ” Cols réservés ” operation, the Hautes-Alpes is offering cyclists a unique privilege: to climb the major cols in complete freedom from motorized traffic. For a few hours, the department’s legendary roads become a playground exclusively for cycling enthusiasts. Everyone can take on these legendary climbs at their own pace. At the end, the effort is replaced by pride and sharing, reinforcing the special bond between the region and all those who come to enjoy the magic of the peaks of the Alps.
Retrospective
Histoires de Tour
The anthology finale at the summit of the Granon in 2022 is still fresh in everyone’s mind. A pass that still reverberates with the mano à mano between Jonas Vingegaard and Tadej Pogacar and the Dane’s anthological success. A legendary episode that, like many others, will go down in history.
For almost a century, the Hautes-Alpes region has regularly written some of the finest pages in the history of the Tour de France. Flashback.
2022
Jonas Vingegaard’s “Granon coup
An incredible battle between the yellow jersey of Slovenia’s Tadej Pogacar and Denmark’s Jonas Vingegaard.
The climb would turn the general classification on its head, with the Dane winning the stage in solidaire at 2413 m after having truly laid waste to the Slovenian yellow jersey in the final laces.
Jonas Vingegaard will then don the precious tunic and take it all the way to Paris to pocket his first Tour de France.
2019
Silver wedding in Gap
An incredible battle between the yellow jersey of Slovenia’s Tadej Pogacar and Denmark’s Jonas Vingegaard.
The climb would turn the general classification on its head, with the Dane winning the stage in solidaire at 2413 m after having truly laid waste to the Slovenian yellow jersey in the final laces.
Jonas Vingegaard will then don the precious tunic and take it all the way to Paris to pocket his first Tour de France.
2017
Warren Barguil, something new at the top of Izoard
After the Galibier in 2011, the organizers have decided to stage a stage finish at the summit of the Col de l’Izoard on July 20, 2017. A prestigious dimension for a stage between Briançon and Izoard. A nod to this mythical pass and a Casse Déserte that still seems to resonate with the past exploits of Bartali, Coppi and Bobet.
In his polka-dot Best Climber jersey, Frenchman Warren Barguil raises his arms to the sky in the Alps to claim the greatest solo success of his career.
2011
Andy Schleck and Thomas Voekcler celebrate the Galibier centenary
One hundred years ago, on July 12, 1911, the Col du Galibier saw the first riders in its history pass through. To celebrate the centenary of that day, the Tour de France has chosen July 21, 2011 as the date for the highest finish in the history of the Tour de France, at 2642 m above sea level.
That year, Andy Schleck attacked 60 km from the finish of the stage, which came from Italy (Pinerolo) via the Agnel and Izoard passes. In fourth place overall, the Luxembourger quickly opened up a gap on the yellow jersey group led by Frenchman Thomas Voeckler. At the summit of the Galibier, he finally lifted his arms, more than two minutes ahead of his brother Fränk. For 15 seconds, Thomas Voeckler retains his yellow jersey.
Historic!
2003
Beloki falls, Armstrong ploughs on in Gap!
These are the images that went round the world. On July 14, 2003, under a blazing sun and on melting asphalt, Joseba Beloki (second overall) and Lance Armstrong (yellow jersey) sped to the finish. Kazakh rider Alexandre Vinokourov was in hot pursuit.
On the descent of the Col de Manse (La Rochette), made dangerous by the intense heat which melted the tar, the Spaniard crashed heavily at the exit of a hairpin, going over his bike.
Staying in his wheel, the American avoided him with a cyclo-cross reflex, jumped a ditch and cut across the field to get back on the road one bend down.
In the meantime, Vinokourov passed through and went on to win in Gap. Injured, the Spaniard did not return to competition until 2004, but never regained his true level.
As for Armstrong, the story will soon take a new turn…
1975
Bernard Thevenet soars above the Izoard
What a Tour 1975!
On the morning of the stage, Louison Bobet whispered in the ear of Bernard Thevenet, overjoyed by his victory the day before: ” To become a cycling great, you have to cross the Izoard in the lead with the yellow jersey “.
The Frenchman declared a little later at the finish: ” There was a huge crowd on the Izoard, filling the road and pulling away at the last moment. It was a real communion between the public and me “. Thevenet seemed to float above the Grande Boucle. A week later, he won his first Tour de France ahead of Merckx.
1971
Luis Ocana or the unfinished symphony
Described as Eddy Merckx’s great rival in the 1971 Tour de France, Spaniard Luis Ocana chose July 8 in the Alps to deliver his final blow between Grenoble and the resort of Orcières-Merlette, where he crossed the finish line solo.
Eddy Merckx conceded him eight minutes and forty-two seconds and relinquished his first yellow jersey. Merckx told the press: ” Today, Ocana watched over us like El Cordobès in the bullring watches over his bulls “. A few days later, in the Pyrenees, a terrible fall on the Col de Manté dashed his hopes of winning the Tour de France.
1953
Louison Bobet walked on the moon!
He’s known as the Izoard man.
It was on this Hautes-Alpes pass, with its famous lunar-like “Casse Déserte”, that Louison Bobet built his legend and won his greatest trophies, such as the day on July 22, 1953, when he soloed his way to his first Tour de France success on the Izoard. A stage win in Briançon and the yellow jersey.
1949
A monument at Galibier to celebrate Henri Desgrange’s “Act of Adoration
” O Sappey! O Laffrey! O Col Bayard! O Tourmalet! I won’t fail in my duty by writing that, next to the Galibier, you’re nothing but pale, vulgar booze! In 1911, in an editorial published in the columns of the newspaper l’Auto, Henri Desgrange signed his famous “Acte d’Adoration” at the mere mention of his discovery: the Col du Galibier.
In memory of Henri Desgrange, creator of the Tour de France, a monument was inaugurated on this pass in 1949, just a few meters from the entrance to the Galibier tunnel (on the Hautes-Alpes side). “A la gloire de Henri Desgrange (1865-1940), ancien Directeur du Journal l’Auto, créateur du Tour de France Cycliste” (To the glory of Henri Desgrange (1865-1940), former Director of the Journal l’Auto, creator of the Tour de France Cycliste) is engraved in the stone of the monolith.
1922
Young firsts on the Route des Grandes Alpes
July 13, 1922. Nice-Briançon stage (274 km). On the Route des Grandes Alpes, the Vars and Izoard passes make their appearance, joining the Galibier on the list of Tour de France summits.
Henri Desgrange wrote in his column for the newspaper L’Auto: ” I’d like to tell you about the incredible panorama of this stage, the place it must take among the most difficult stages, and the role it will play in our race next year “.
He couldn’t have been more right at the mere mention of the lunar desert of the Casse Déserte de l’Izoard…
1911
The 1st Galibier
Emile Georget: ” Those who dug the tunnel could have opened it at the bottom! It would have been a little longer, no doubt, but it would have spared us the martyrdom. Between the metro tunnel and the Galibier tunnel, I still prefer the metro!
The “summit of the warriors” has entered the history and legend of the Tour de France, under the jubilant gaze of the event’s director, Henri Desgrange.
1905
The Tour discovers the Hautes-Alpes
In 1905, for the third edition of the Tour de France, 60 riders set off from Paris to contest eleven stages in new towns such as Nancy, La Rochelle, Rennes and Grenoble.
Grenoble, the capital of the Alps, will be the starting point on July 16 for the fourth and most formidable stage, covering almost 342 km to Toulon. It’s an opportunity for the peloton to discover the Southern Alps, including the Côte de Laffrey and the descent of the Col Bayard.
Returning to the roads of the Southern Alps each time means returning to the roots of cycling, to the stage of an open-air theater where, we hope, new sporting and human jousts will be played out, whether comedies or tragedies, as only the Tour de France has the secret. Thank you again, Hautes-Alpes!
The Tour de France
in figures
| Tour arrivals/departuresin Hautes-Alpes | 91 |
| Stages in Briançon | 34 |
| Stages in Gap | 27 |
| Stages in Embrun | 7 |
| First Tour de France pass over the Col Bayard | 1905 |
| Ascents of Alpine passes | 232 |
Source: INSEE
