Barrage d' Emosson

The Barrage d' Emosson is a col with a length of 10.9 kilometer. This is a highest category (HC) col. It is located in Finhaut, VS, Switzerland. The average grade of this col is 8.1% with a maximum of 10%. The Barrage d' Emosson ascents from 1.077 meter at the start, to 1.967 meter at the top, with a total of 888 ascending meters.

Description

The dam only lets itself be seen at the last moment, once you have reached the summit. Once there, all of your efforts will be rewarded, as the view over the Mont Blanc and the Aiguilles du Tour is breath-taking. This impressive dam was built between 1969 and 1975, is the second-largest dam in Switzerland and the third highest in Valais. When you are on top of the dam in spring, look deep down into the lake and you may see the remains of the Barberine Dam, built-in 1925, which was submerged after the Emosson Dam was filled.

In 2014 Astana’s Lieuwe Westra got his win at the Critérium du Dauphiné. On the final climb to Barrage d'Emosson, Westra chased the Russians Yuri Trofimov and Egor Silin for a long time, and in the last two hundred meters the Dutchman caught up with Katyusha's teammates and drove to victory. At over a minute and a half from the winner Contador crossed the line in fourth place after an attack in the last two kilometers. The Spaniard took twenty seconds off leader Froome, who finished seventh, and was allowed to start in the final stage on Sunday in the yellow jersey.

In the Tour de France of 2016, Ilnur Zakarin won the 17th stage by arriving solo at Finhaut-Emosson.The 26-year old rider was the strongest of a large leading group which attacked on the first of four climbs. Zakarin made his way on the difficult final climb to the Swiss mountain village of Finhaut-Emosson to the biggest victory of his career.

- Criterium du Dauphine 2014 - Stage 7
- Tour de France 2016 - Stage 17 (finish climb)

Nearby Cols