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Throwback:Pyrenees 2018 Stage 4
At the Haute Route, we hear people say that a lot but some days certainly stand-out more than others. Stage 4 of Haute Route Pyrenees 2018 was one of those days, with riders taking on the iconic Col du Tourmalet before a summit finish atop Col du Portet. With these two climbs featuring in the Haute Route Pyrenees 2020, and the latter making up part of the famous time trial stage on day four, we thought it was about time we re-lived some of the memories from this unforgettable day.
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Featuring over 75 times in the history of the Tour de France, the Col du Tourmalet is on every rider’s bucket-list, but the Haute Route Pyrenees 2018 riders went one better, with the added challenge (and bragging rights) of climbing it twice in 24 hours.
For Stage 4, riders rolled out of ArgelèsGazost and grouped together for the long drag up the valley before turning left and through the town of Luz-Saint-Sauveur, ready for the climb ahead. Riders were conservative in their efforts for the first half of the climb, knowing that an unrelenting 8-9% average gradient would greet them for the latter half of the time and a cruel 10.2% gradient for the last kilometre of the climb. It is a climb full of emotion – from exhilaration to exhaustion and finally elation when riders reach the summit at an altitude of 2,100m.
“I enjoyed the Tourmalet more today than yesterday actually” commented Gregor Frew, before expressing his thoughts on the climb up Col du Portet that was still to come; “I’m not sure really what to expect but it looked steep on TV so I think it must be quite steep!”
With the stats including a 16km climb at an average gradient of 8.7%, George’s predictions were certainly correct and with this climb reaching an altitude of 2,215m, it also trumps that of the Tourmalet pass and earns the title of the highest pass in the French Pyrenees. In fact, the Tour de France director, Christian Prudhomme introduced it as: “a giant, a Tourmalet and then some.”
Snaking up the front side of the mountain, riders were distracted from their tired legs with the incredible views down the valley as they neared the summit. Drawing on the last bits of energy, the riders crossed the finish line to reach the highest summit of the week.
With clear blue skies, two famous climbs and the beautiful nature of the Pyrenees in all its glory, riders were all unanimous in their opinion that the fourth stage was truly unforgettable as they exchanged celebratory hugs and smiles before heading back to the race village for a hard-earned massage and re-fuel.
