The Col de Portet d'Aspet (elevation 1,069 metres (3,507 ft)) is a mountain pass in the central Pyrenees in the department of Haute-Garonne in France. It is situated on the D618 road between Aspet and Saint-Girons and connects the Ger and Bouigane valleys, on the slopes of the Pic de Paloumère (1,608 metres (5,276 ft)).
Details of climb
Starting from Audressein, in Ariège, the climb is 18.1 km (11.2 mi) long. Over this distance, the climb is 557 m (1,827 ft) at an average gradient of 3.1%. The climb proper starts at Saint-Lary, 5.9 km (3.7 mi) and 393 m (1,289 ft) from the summit (at 6.8%), with the steepest sections being at 10.6% near the summit.[2]
Starting from Aspet, in Haute-Garonne, the climb is 14.3 km (8.9 mi) long. Over this distance, the climb is 594 m (1,949 ft) at an average gradient of 4.2%. The climb proper starts at the D618/D44 junction (also the start of the climb to the Col de Menté), 4.4 km (2.7 mi)/436 m (1,430 ft) from the summit (at 9.6%), with several sections in excess of 11%; the maximum gradient is 12.8%, 3 km (2 mi) from the summit.[3]
Panorama from the col de Portet-d'Aspet.
Appearances in Tour de France
The Col de Portet d'Aspet was first used in the Tour de France in 1910 and has appeared regularly since. The leader over the summit in 1910 was Octave Lapize.[4]
Since 1947, the Col has featured 36 times including on stage 15 of the 2024 race.
In the 1973 tourRaymond Poulidor almost died on the descent from the Portet d'Aspet when he plunged off the road into a ravine, taking a serious blow to the head and crawling out with the help of the race director, Jacques Goddet.[5]
Fabio Casartelli
The monument to Fabio Casartelli
On 18 July 1995, during the fifteenth stage of the 1995 Tour de France, Fabio Casartelli and a few other riders crashed on the descent of the Col de Portet d'Aspet. Casartelli sustained heavy facial and head injuries and lost consciousness. While being transported via helicopter to a local hospital, he stopped breathing and after numerous resuscitation attempts was declared dead. The Société du Tour de France and the Motorola team placed a memorial stone dedication to Casartelli on the spot where he crashed.[6]
