A Closer Look At Our 10 Icons
Day One
Col du Soulor
First featured in the 1912 Tour de France, this 1,474-meter Pyrenean pass is most famous as the gateway to the legendary Col d'Aubisque.
It has been categorized over 20 times in the Tour and is frequently used to test riders before they reach the summit of its higher neighbor.
Col d'Aubisque
First included in the 1910 Tour de France as part of the gruelling, original "Circle of Death" stage, the Col d'Aubisque is one of cycling's most legendary climbs.
Rising to 1,709 metres, the pass has featured in the Tour de France over 70 times, trailing only the Tourmalet in historical appearances. It is an iconic stage for the peloton, regularly punishing even the strongest climbers.
Col de Spandelles
For decades, the Pyrenean Col de Spandelles sat in the shadow of giants like the Aubisque before gaining international fame. It burst into cycling history during the 2022 Tour de France on Stage 18, where a narrow, twisting descent forced dramatic moments from stars like Jonas Vingegaard and Tadej Pogačar.
Day Two
Col des Tentes
The Col des Tentes has no Grand Tour or professional racing history, as the French Parc National des Pyrénées prevents the Tour de France from bringing heavy event traffic into the protected area. Instead, this stunning dead-end pass is famous in cycling lore for its remoteness, a challenging 10%+ gradient out of Gavarnie village, and reaching a breathtaking 2,208 meter high altitude summit.
The road originally stems from a 19th-century vision by Napoleon to connect France and Spain, though the paved route on the French side wasn’t completed until 1969. Because the Spanish side was never paved, it avoids the heavy trans-border vehicular traffic found on other Pyrenean cols, making it a peaceful, highly sought-after route for touring cyclists seeking dramatic mountain scenery.
Day Three
Hautacam
The Hautacam is a legendary hors catégorie climb in the French Pyrenees renowned for hosting decisive battles in the Tour de France. Since its 1994 debut, it has featured as a brutal summit finish, famously shifting the balance of power with iconic, race-defining victories by champions like Bjarne Riis, Vincenzo Nibali, and Tadej Pogačar.
The 13.6 km ascent averaging 7.8% has been the stage for some of the most dramatic moments in cycling history:
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1994: Frenchman Luc Leblanc won the inaugural summit finish.
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1996: Bjarne Riis attacked and cracked Miguel Induráin, taking the yellow jersey.
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2014 & 2022: Vincenzo Nibali and Jonas Vingegaard respectively used the punishing slopes to seal their overall Tour de France victories.
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2025: Tadej Pogačar won Stage 12, falling just 28 seconds short of Riis's infamous 1996 climbing record.
Day Four
Col de Cambasque
Rising from the spa town of Cauterets in the French Pyrenees, Col de Cambasque is an explosive climb averaging 5.3%. It first hosted the Tour de France in 1953. The ascent gained legendary status in 1989 when Miguel Indurain won Stage 10 and later welcomed Richard Virenque in 1995.
The climb is most famous for its challenging, steep switchbacks just after Cauterets, demanding riders to push through sections up to 14%. It also famously served as an epic mountaintop finish in Stage 6 of the 2023 Tour de France, where Tadej Pogačar claimed a memorable victory after a grueling day over the Col du Tourmalet.
Pont d'Espagne
Situated in the Pyrenees National Park, Pont d'Espagne is a renowned cycling climb rising to 1,495 meters. Famous for its cascading waterfalls, the challenging 24-kilometer ascent from Argelès-Gazost begins with a steady gradient before ramping up to sections over 10% from Cauterets. Because the site is a protected national park, bikes are only permitted as far as the Puntas car park.
While the nearby Cauterets-Cambasque area has hosted multiple Tour de France stage finishes, including victories by Miguel Indurain and Tadej Pogačar, the Pont d'Espagne route itself serves primarily as a premier, acoustic, and scenic challenge for recreational riders rather than a professional race.
Day Five
Col d'Aspin
The Col d'Aspin is one of cycling's most legendary mountain passes, famously debuting in the 1910 Tour de France as part of the inaugural, 326-kilometer "Circle of Death" stage. Since that first crossing by pioneer Octave Lapize, it has appeared in over 70 editions of the race, typically serving as the crucial link between the Col du Tourmalet and the Col de Peyresourde.
Col de Portet
Col de Portet is a legendary Pyrenean climb often dubbed the "Tourmalet of the 21st century". Rising above Saint-Lary-Soulan with an unforgiving average gradient of 8.6%, the road was paved for its 2018 Tour de France debut. It notably returned in 2021 as a stage finish won by Tadej Pogačar.
Day Six
Col du Tourmalet
The Col du Tourmalet in the French Pyrenees is the most frequently visited mountain pass in Tour de France history. First introduced in 1910, it features in the Tour de France more than any other climb. Its legend was forged when Octave Lapize walked his single-speed bike up the unpaved slopes and famously screamed "assassins!" at the race organizers.
Since that brutal debut, the Tourmalet has become a sacred monument in professional cycling. It has been featured nearly 90 times and has tested legendary riders like Fausto Coppi, Eddy Merckx, and Alberto Contador. It is also home to famous cycling lore, including the 1913 tale of Eugène Christophe, who broke his bike's fork on the descent and walked 14 km to a blacksmith in Sainte-Marie-de-Campan to weld it back together himself.
