Stage 10 arrives in Gap on 14 July 2010

On 14 July the 97th Tour de France passes through the Hautes-Alpes! Stage 10 of the Tour de France leaves Chambéry and passes through 179 km of non-glaciated mountain terrain to reach Gap.The Côte de Laffrey and Col du Noyer are two of the main obstacles competitors have to cross before reaching Gap.

Gap is a stage in the Tour de France for the 19th time

The Tour de France in Gap saw racers likes Géminiani, Nencini, Bernard, Zabel and Vinokurov show their mettle. Yet the Hautes-Alpes Préfecture has also been the venue for some legendary stages headed for Briançon, which were won by Bobet, Coppi and Bahamontes. Since that time, most tours head for Alpe d’Huez from Gap, as in 1991 (won by Gianni Bugno) and 2006 (Frank Schleck). Nevertheless, the most striking image of the Gap stage remains Lance Armstrong riding through fields in 2003 to avoid Joseba Beloki who had sustained a fall.

find out more about the town of Gap

Col du Noyer (1664 m)

In 1971 Luis Ocaña broke away from the pack and beat the great Eddie Merckx to earn a place in the history of the Tour de France. You can explore the Col du Noyer, between the Champsaur and Dévoluy, via a small road that winds its way through pastures. From the top there are uninterrupted views over the Dévoluy (Pic de Bure) to the west and over the Oisans to the east.

http://www.gap-tourisme.fr/

One hundred years of history!

The Hautes-Alpes is the French département with the highest average altitude and it hosted a stage in the Tour de France for the 68th time in 2008. Its mountain terrain, steep slopes, legendary mountain passes and 300 days of sunshine per year are great assets for cycling. The Tour first climbed up the slopes of the Col du Galibier almost a century ago in 1911 and since that time cycling and the Hautes-Alpes have been inextricably linked.

On its first visit here in 1905, the Tour de France passed over the Col Bayard on one of the longest stages, from Grenoble to Toulon. Briançon, Gap, Serre-Chevalier, Orcières 1850, Embrun, Les Orres, Savines-le-Lac, Tallard and Montgenèvre have also hosted stages of the Tour.

Then there is the unforgettable image of Lance Armstrong riding through fields outside Gap, incredible exploits in Briançon, the reversals of fortunes in Montgenèvre, and the popular finishes in Orcières-Merlette, Serre-Chevalier and Les Orres…

Start and finish towns featured on the Tour
BRIANÇON
EMBRUN
GAP
Les Orres
Montgenèvre
Orcières-Merlette
Savines-le-Lac
Serre Chevalier
Tallard

Mountain passes featuring on the Tour

Col de FOUREYSSASSE (1040 m)
Col de POMMEROL/FROMAGÈRE (1081 m)
Col LEBRAUT (1110 m)
Col d’ESPRÉAUX (1142 m)
Col de CABRE (1180 m)
Col BAYARD (1248 m)
Col de MANSE (1268 m)
Col du FESTRE (1441 m)
Col du CHAILLOLET (1560 m)
Col du NOYER (1664 m)
Col du MONTGENÈVRE (1850 m)
Col du LAUTARET (2058 m)
Col de VARS (2111 m)
Col d’IZOARD (2361 m)
Col du GRANON (2413 m)
Col du PARPAILLON (2637 m)
Col du GALIBIER (2645 m)
Col AGNEL (2744 m)


Col du Galibier (2645 m)
• Boasting 57 crossings, this is the most visited Alpine pass in the history of the Tour de France.
• It is popular with both pro and amateur riders and has an average gradient of 6% for 8 km.
• It attracts around 600 to 800 cyclists per day in July and August.
• There are magnificent views over the Écrins and Meije Massifs.
• There is a monument to Henri Desgranges (creator of the Tour de France), inaugurated in 1949.

Col d'Izoard (2361 m)
• The Izoard road is one of the most famous stages in the Tour de France.
• The pass has an average gradient of 7% for 17 km.
• The ‘Casse Déserte’, with its striking gullies and scree-filled slopes, is found here.
• This is the gateway to the Queyras Regional Nature Park, with its breathtaking views over the peaks of the Briançon area and the Queyras. There is a plaque commemorating Fausto Coppi and Louison Bobet, two racers who made their names on this legendary mountain pass, set in a stone at the top. The col is also home to a small museum dedicated to the Tour de France.

Col du Granon (2413 m)
• The highest ever finish to a mountain stage in the Tour de France was held here in 1986.
• This route has a very exposed feel and sits on a balcony over the Guisane and Serre-Chevalier valleys, giving outstanding views over the highest peaks in the Écrins National Park, including the Meije (3983 m), Écrins (4102 m) and Pelvoux (3946 m)...
• The col has an average gradient of 10% for 12 km.

Col de Vars (2109 m)
Lower and less impressive than the Galibier and Izoard, this pass requires a sustained cadence from cyclists and its steep gradients leave virtually no respite. This great pass usually follows or precedes the climb up to the Izoard pass in most races.

Col du Montgenèvre (1860 m)
The Col du Montgenèvre is the easiest to cross of the Alpine passes between France and Italy, as well as being a strategically important site and home to an ancient village and a large winter sports resort. The col has been used since late Antiquity when a road was built, the ‘Via Cottia’. It had fallen into a state of disrepair by the Middle Ages and was not rebuilt until Napoleon’s time, thanks to prompting by Préfet Ladoucette.

Col Bayard (1248 m)
The Tour de France passed through the Hautes-Alpes for the first time in 1905, crossing the Col Bayard on its longest stage, from Grenoble to Toulon. Since that time, the Tour’s warriors have climbed it 25 times.

Col du Noyer (1664 m)
In 1971 Luis Ocaña broke away from the pack and beat the great Eddie Merckx to earn a place in the history of the Tour de France. You can explore the Col du Noyer, between the Champsaur and Dévoluy, via a small road that winds its way through pastures. From the top there are uninterrupted views over the Dévoluy (Pic de Bure) to the west and over the Oisans to the east.