Col de la Croix de Fer

Col de la Croix de Fer (English: Pass of the Iron Cross) (el. 2067 m.) is a high mountain pass in the French Alps linking Le Bourg-d'Oisans and Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne.

For other places sharing the name 'Pass of the cross' please see Col de la Croix (disambiguation)
Col de la Croix de Fer
The cross at Col de la Croix de Fer
Elevation2,067 m (6,781 ft)
Traversed byD 926
LocationSavoie, France
RangeDauphiné Alps
Coordinates45°13′39″N 06°12′12″E
Col de la Croix de Fer
Col de la Croix de Fer

Details of climb

The approach from the northeast from Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne is 29.5 km at an average gradient of 5.5% with some sections at 9.5%, and the one from the southwest from Rochetaillée 31.5 km at an average gradient of 5.75% with short sections in excess of 11%. When coming from Rochetaillée, the road forks 2.5 km before the summit, leading to the Col du Glandon. There is also an approach from the north from La Chambre via Col du Glandon which is the hardest: 22.7 km at an average gradient of 7.0% (this is the route used for the 2012 Tour de France).

Tour de France

The pass has featured in the Tour de France nineteen times since it was first passed in the 1947 tour when the race was led over the summit by Fermo Camellini. It was crossed on Stage 11 of the 2012 race, between Albertville and La Toussuire-Les Sybelles.[1] In the 2015 race it was passed twice in the two finale mountain stages stage 19 between Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne to La Toussuire - Les Sybelles, and from the other side in stage 20 between Modane to Alpe d'Huez. The route for stage 20 was changed in June 2015 caused by a landslide in April so Col de la Croix de Fer substitutes both Col du Télégraphe and Col du Galibier.[2][3][4]

Appearances in Tour de France
Tour de France at the Col de la Croix de Fer, 2006
Year Stage Category Start Finish Leader at the summit
2017 17 HC La Mure Serre Chevalier  Thomas De Gendt (BEL)
2015 20 HC Modane Alpe d'Huez  Alexandre Geniez (FRA)
2015 19 HC Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne La Toussuire-Les Sybelles  Pierre Rolland (FRA)
2012 11 HC Albertville La Toussuire-Les Sybelles  Fredrik Kessiakoff (SWE)
2008 17 HC Embrun Alpe d'Huez  Peter Velits (SVK)
2006 16 HC Le Bourg-d'Oisans La Toussuire  Michael Rasmussen (DEN)
1999 10 HC Sestrières Alpe d'Huez  Stéphane Heulot (FRA)
1998 15 HC Grenoble Les Deux Alpes  Rodolfo Massi (ITA)
1995 10 HC Aime–La Plagne Alpe d'Huez  Richard Virenque (FRA)
1992 14 HC Sestrières Alpe d'Huez  Eric Boyer (FRA)
1989 17 HC Briançon Alpe d'Huez  Gert-Jan Theunisse (NED)
1986 18 1 Briançon–Serre Chevalier Alpe d'Huez  Bernard Hinault (FRA)
1966 16 1 Bourg-d'Oisans Briançon  Joaquim Galera (ESP)
1963 16 1 Grenoble Val-d'Isère  Federico Bahamontes (ESP)
1961 10 1 Grenoble Turin  Guy Ignolin (FRA)
1956 18 1 Turin Grenoble  René Marigil (ESP)
1952 11 1 Bourg-d'Oisans Sestrières  Fausto Coppi (ITA)
1948 14 1 Briançon Aix-les-Bains  Gino Bartali (ITA)
1947 8 1 Grenoble Briançon  Fermo Camellini (ITA)

See also

References
  1. "Stage 11: Albertville – La Toussuire - Les Sybelles". Tour de France. Amaury Sport Organisation. Archived from the original on 24 June 2012. Retrieved 28 June 2012.
  2. "Stage 19: Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne to La Toussuire — Les Sybelles". Tour de France. Amaury Sport Organisation. Archived from the original on 27 June 2015. Retrieved 22 July 2015.
  3. "Stage 20: Modane to Alpe d'Huez". Tour de France. Amaury Sport Organisation. Archived from the original on 27 June 2015. Retrieved 22 July 2015.
  4. "Stage 20 : Modane — L'Alpe d'Huez... via the Croix de Fer". Tour de France. Amaury Sport Organisation. Archived from the original on 27 June 2015. Retrieved 22 July 2015.
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