Col de Marie-Blanque (elevation 1,035 m (3,396 ft)) is a mountain pass in the western Pyrenees in the department of Pyrénées-Atlantiques in France. The pass is situated south-east of Oloron-Sainte-Marie and connects the valleys of the Aspe and the Ossau rivers.
| Col de Marie-Blanque | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Elevation | 1,035 m (3,396 ft)[1] |
| Traversed by | D294 |
| Location | Pyrénées-Atlantiques, France |
| Range | Pyrenees |
| Coordinates | 43°4′13″N 0°30′27″W / 43.07028°N 0.50750°W |
  Col de Marie-Blanque Location in the Pyrenees | |
Details of the climb
editThe western side of the climb, starts from Escot on the N134. The climb is 9.3 km (5.8 mi) long at an average gradient of 7.7% (height gain – 715 m (2,346 ft)). Although relatively short, there are several long sections with gradients in excess of 11%.[2]
From Louvie-Juzon (east), the climb is 15.0 km (9.3 mi) long. Over this distance, it gains 615 m (2,018 ft) at an average gradient of 4.1%. The climb proper starts at Bielle on the D934 from where it is 11.5 km (7.1 mi) long, gaining 585 m (1,919 ft) at an average gradient of 5.1%, with a maximum of 8.5% near the start. En route, the climb passes the Plateau de Bénou.[3]
Tour de France
editThe pass was first used in the Tour de France in 1978 and has been crossed 15 times by the tour, including on stage 9 of the 2020 tour from Pau to Laruns.[4]
Appearances in Tour de France
edit| Year | Stage | Category | Start | Finish | Leader at the summit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 5 | 1 | Pau | Laruns |  Jai Hindley (AUS)
|
| 2020 | 9 | 1 | Pau | Laruns |  Marc Hirschi (SUI)
|
| 2010 | 17 | 1 | Pau | Col du Tourmalet |  Juan Antonio Flecha (ESP)
|
| 2007 | 16 | 1 | Orthez | Gourette–Col d'Aubisque |  Mauricio Soler (COL)
|
| 2006 | 10 | 1 | Cambo-les-Bains | Pau |  Cyril Dessel (FRA)
|
| 2005 | 16 | 1 | Mourenx | Pau |  Jörg Ludewig (DEU)
|
| 2000 | 10 | 1 | Dax | Hautacam | Javier Otxoa (ESP)
|
| 1996 | 17 | 2 | Argelès-Gazost | Pamplona | Neil Stephens (AUS)
|
| 1995 | 16 | 2 | Tarbes | Pau | Stage neutralised |
| 1992 | 2 | 1 | San Sebastián | Pau | Richard Virenque (FRA)
|
| 1990 | 17 | 1 | Lourdes | Pau | Dominique Arnaud (FRA)
|
| 1989 | 9 | 1 | Pau | Cauterets | Robert Forest (FRA)
|
| 1987 | 14 | 1 | Pau | Luz-Ardiden | Gilbert Duclos-Lassalle (FRA)
|
| 1987 | 13 | 1 | Bayonne | Pau | Luis Herrera (COL)
|
| 1986 | 12 | 1 | Bayonne | Pau | Pedro Delgado (ESP)
|
| 1978 | 10 | 2 | Biarritz | Pau |  Michel Pollentier (BEL)
|
References
edit- ^ IGN map
- ^ "Col de Marie Blanque: Escot". climbbybike. Retrieved 21 July 2012.
- ^ "Col de Marie Blanque: Luvie Juzon (stet)". climbbybike. Retrieved 21 July 2012.
- ^ a b "Le col de Marie-Blanque dans le Tour de France" (in French). ledicodutour. Retrieved 15 July 2022.