Col du Galibier

The Col du Galibier is a col with a length of 8.6 kilometer. This is a category 1 col. It is located in Le Monêtier Les Bains, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, France. The average grade of this col is 6.8% with a maximum of 10%. The Col du Galibier ascents from 2.064 meter at the start, to 2.642 meter at the top, with a total of 578 ascending meters.

Description

From the south, the climb starts from the Col du Lautaret (el. 2058 meters) and is 8.6 kilometers long at an average gradient of 6.7% with a maximum of 12% at the summit.

The Col du Galibier was first used in the Tour de France in 1911. The first rider over the summit was Emile Georget, who, with Paul Duboc and Gustave Garrigou were the only riders not to walk. The original summit was at 2556 m. while the tunnel was closed from 1976 until 2002, the tour route went only over the pass closer to the mountain peak at 2642 m.

At the south portal of the tunnel, at the edge of the road, there is a monument to Henri Desgrange, instigator and first director of the Tour de France. The memorial was inaugurated when the tour passed on 19 July 1949. Whenever the tour crosses the Col du Galibier, a wreath is laid on the memorial. The Souvenir Henri Desgrange is awarded to the first rider across the summit of the highest mountain in each year's tour.

In 2011 the Tour climbed the Col du Galibier twice to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the first appearance of the pass in the Tour de France, including the first-ever summit finish (coming from the south), won by Andy Schleck after a 60 km solo breakaway. This was the highest ever stage finish in the Tour de France.

- Tour de France 2002 - Stage 16
- Tour de France 2011 - Stage 18
- Tour de France 2019 - Stage 18

Nearby Cols