Col_du_Soulor
Col du Soulor
Mountain pass in the French Pyrenees
Col du Soulor (elevation 1,474 m (4,836 ft)) is a mountain pass in the Pyrenees in France, linking Argelès-Gazost with Arthez-d'Asson. It connects the Ouzom and Arens valleys. A road leaves the pass to the west to reach the higher Col d'Aubisque.
| Col du Soulor | |
|---|---|
Road from Col d'Aubisque to Col du Soulor. | |
| Elevation | 1474 m[1] |
| Location | Pyrénées-Atlantiques, France Hautes-Pyrénées, France |
| Range | Pyrenees |
| Coordinates | 42°57′38″N 0°15′40″W |
The road over the col is regularly used in the Tour de France cycling race, normally in conjunction with the Col d'Aubisque.
Starting from Argelès-Gazost (east), the Soulor is 19.5 km (12.1 mi). It rises 1,019 m (3,343 ft), an average gradient of 5.2%. It gets tough after Arrens-Marsous with stretches at 10% or steeper.[2]
The col can also be reached from the north, via the D126. Starting from Arthez-d'Asson, the ascent is 22 km (14 mi) long. Over this distance, the climb gains 1,074 m (3,524 ft), at an average of 4.9%. The real climbing, however, comes at Ferrières, after which the gradient increases to 9%.[3] This was the direction used in the 2010 Tour de France.[4]
The Col du Soulor was first used in the 1910 Tour de France[5] and was most recently featured in the 17th stage of the 2010 Tour de France, as a category 1 climb.[6]
The Col du Soulor is also crossed during the passage over the Col d'Aubisque. When this route is used, for example in stage 16 of the 2012 Tour de France, it is often not a categorized climb,[7] since the amount of re-ascent from the west is relatively small. It has, however, been a categorized climb on 12 occasions, including in 1982 as a hors catégorie climb.[7]
Passages in the Tour de France (since 1947)
The categorized crossings of the Col du Soulor since 1947 were as follows:[7]
| Year | Stage | Category | Start | Finish | Leader at the summit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 14 | 1 | Tarbes | Col du Tourmalet |  Tim Wellens (BEL) |
| 2010 | 17 | 1 | Pau | Col du Tourmalet |  Marcus Burghardt (DEU) |
| 2000 | 10 | 2 | Dax | Hautacam |  Javier Otxoa (ESP) |
| 1999 | 16 | 1 | Lannemezan | Pau |  Pavel Tonkov (RUS) |
| 1997 | 9 | 1 | Pau | Loudenvielle |  Laurent Brochard (FRA) |
| 1996 | 17 | 1 | Argelès-Gazost | Pamplona | Pascal Hervé (FRA) |
| 1995 | 16 | 1 | Tarbes | Pau | Stage neutralised |
| 1985 | 18a | 1 | Luz-Saint-Sauveur | Col d'Aubisque |  Stephen Roche (IRL) |
| 1982 | 12 | HC | Fleurance | Pau | André Chalmel (FRA) |
| 1979 | 3 | 1 | Bagnères-de-Luchon | Pau | Mariano Martinez (FRA) |
| 1975 | 10 | 1 | Auch | Pau | Lucien Van Impe (BEL) |
| 1974 | 18 | 1 | Bagnères-de-Bigorre | Pau | Andrés Oliva (ESP) |
| 1973 | 14 | 1 | Bagnères-de-Luchon | Pau | Pedro Torres (ESP) |
- "Col du Soulor: Argelès Gazost". www.climbbybike.com. Retrieved 21 July 2012.
- "Col du Soulor: Arthez-d'Asson". www.climbbybike.com. Retrieved 21 July 2012.
- "2010 Tour de France Stage 17 Preview". www.cycling-challenge.com. 19 July 2010. Retrieved 21 July 2012.
- McKay, Feargal (2022-07-04). "Mythologies: Assassins of the Aubisque!". Podium Cafe. Retrieved 2022-07-05.
- "The history of the Tour de France, Col du Soulor - letour.fr". Archived from the original on 2010-08-19. Retrieved 2011-05-19.
- "Le col du Soulor dans le Tour de France depuis 1947" (in French). Retrieved 20 July 2022.
