Luz Ardiden

Luz Ardiden
	The last two kilometers before the summit
Pass height	1720 m
Department	Hautes-Pyrénées , France
Mountains	Pyrenees
	profile
	map
Coordinates	42 ° 53 '22 " N , 0 ° 3' 38" W Coordinates: 42 ° 53 '22 " N , 0 ° 3' 38" W.

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Luz Ardiden is a ski area up to 2500 m above sea level in the French Pyrenees . It belongs to the tourist resort of Luz-Saint-Sauveur in the French department of Hautes-Pyrénées . The Luz Ardiden is known in German-speaking countries above all as a cycling climb since it was first included in the Tour de France as a stage destination of the Hors Catégorie (highest mountain classification ) in 1985 .

The ski area

The ski area was built in 1974. According to the travel guide, it is particularly popular with snowboarders. The ski area consists of the parts Aulian and Bederet, which spread out on the mountains Coums des Aulhères (2168 m) and Arriu Né. A total of 60 marked kilometers of slopes are available. 4 green, 15 red, 4 blue and 4 black slopes. This ski area is in the immediate vicinity of the French Pyrenees National Park.

Tour de France

The 13.4 kilometer route from Luz-Saint-Sauveur to Luz Ardiden has a difference in altitude of 1036 m and is called "The Queen's Stage", "The Curve Labyrinth" or "The Mountain of the Spaniards". Of the eight tour stages that ended here so far, five have been won by Spaniards. The destination, the valley station of the ski area, is 1720 m above sea level. The profile is relatively even, the average gradient is 7.7%, the maximum is 12%. The last two kilometers are ideal for spectators as the section spreads out like an arena. Unlike most of the major climbs on the tour, the road is not a mountain pass , but a dead end .

In the 2003 anniversary edition , the 15th stage at that time, where Luz Ardiden was the stage destination, was decisive for the outcome of the tour. The ailing Lance Armstrong led by 15 seconds ahead of Jan Ullrich and fell eleven kilometers from the finish because he caught the brake lever on a spectator's pocket. The Basque Iban Mayo, driving behind him, went down with him . Ullrich was able to evade and did not take advantage of the situation. He was waiting for the opponent, as he was two years earlier in a similar situation. But the fallen wearer of the yellow jersey collected again: He won the stage and was able to distance his fellow campaigners.

Winners list

literature

Racing bike guide : Nicolas Mereau-Delaquis: Tour de France - the classic mountain routes, Delius Klasnig Verlag 2006, ISBN 3-7688-5235-0

Racing bike guide : Bürte Hoppe: Tour de France - A travel guide to cities and routes , Agon Verlag 2005, ISBN 3-89784-263-7

Racing bike guide: Peter Leissl: The legendary climbs of the Tour de France , Covadonga Verlag , 2nd edition, June 2004, ISBN 3-936973-09-1

Web links

source

↑ Racing bike guide : Bürte Hoppe: Tour de France - A travel guide to cities and routes , Agon Verlag 2005, ISBN 3-89784-263-7 , p. 266

[1] Racing bike guide : Bürte Hoppe: Tour de France - A travel guide to cities and routes , Agon Verlag 2005, ISBN 3-89784-263-7 , p. 266