Col de Burdincurutcheta
| Col de Burdincurutcheta | |||
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 Col de Burdincurutcheta, view from the top of the pass to the east ramp |
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| Compass direction | west | east | |
| Pass height | 1135 m | ||
| Department | Pyrénées-Atlantiques , France | ||
| Valley locations | Mendive | French-Spanish border | |
| expansion | D 18 | ||
| Mountains | Pyrenees | ||
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| Mountain scoring | 1 | 3 | |
| Ø pitch | 8.4% (800 m / 9.5 km) | 5.2% (130 m / 2.5 km) | |
| Max. Incline | 11.5% | ||
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| Coordinates | 43 ° 3 '45 " N , 1 ° 5' 13" W | ||
The Col de Burdincurutcheta ( Basque Burdinkurutxeta ) is a 1135 meter high mountain pass in the western Pyrenees . Together with the neighboring Col Bagargui, it forms the transition between the former provinces of Soule and Lower Navarra in the French Basque Country . The name "Burdincurutcheta" is of Basque origin and means "Iron Cross" (from Burdin [iron] and Curutche [cross]). With a maximum gradient of 11.5% (steepest kilometer), the western ramp is a real challenge for cyclists.
Routing
The departmental road 18 leading to the Col de Burdincurutcheta begins four kilometers east of Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port , in the town of Saint-Jean-le-Vieux . The road initially leads ten kilometers through the valley of the Laurhibar river . The last place before the actual pass road is Mendive , behind the hamlet of Bassamburua the extremely steep western ramp begins suddenly. In the first 4.3 km the route climbs 450 meters up to the 782 meter high Col d'Haltza . An almost flat kilometer is followed by another 4.5 kilometers with an altitude difference of 330 meters. The east ramp is much flatter and shorter. The D 18 begins at the French-Spanish border, where it initially follows the Iraty valley upstream . At a small reservoir it meets the D 19, which comes from the Col Bagargui from the east. This is followed by 2.5 kilometers with 130 meters of difference in altitude to the top of the pass.
The top of the pass is a good starting point for hikes to the Pic Mendibel (1411 m) in the east and the Sommet d'Occabé (1456 m) in the southwest.
Tour de France
The Col de Burdincurutcheta has been on the Tour de France program three times so far . In 1986 and 1987 it was driven from the west side and was thus an increase in the first category . The first driver at the summit was the Frenchman Ronan Pensec in 1986 , later sixth in the overall standings. The 2003 Tour de France then climbed the eastern ramp from Col Bagargui as a third category mountain. The first was the American Tyler Hamilton , who was then also the winner of the 16th stage in Bayonne . On the extremely steep descent, Erik Zabel managed to get back to the front of the field. He reports this in the film Hell Tour by Pepe Danquart . He then won the sprint of the peloton and was second in the stage.
Web links and sources
- Profile of the west ramp
- Bicycle travel report Col de Burdincurutcheta - Port de Larrau - Col Bagargui on cycling4fans.de
View from the top of the pass to the west
At the top of the pass
On the east ramp, the pass in the center of the picture.
