Col de la Loze

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Col de la Loze
Mountain top with some snow
Highest point
Elevation2,304 m (7,559 ft)
Coordinates45°24′18″N 6°36′07″E / 45.40500°N 6.60194°E / 45.40500; 6.60194
Geography
Parent rangeFrench Alps

The Col de la Loze is a mountain pass in the French Alps, with an elevation of 2,304 metres (7,559 ft). A path up the mountain was opened in May 2019, and is the seventh-highest mountain pass in France. The ascent featured in the 2020 Tour de France, as well as in the 2019 Tour de l'Avenir.

Geography[]

Snow covered wooden chalets with mountains in the background.
Méribel is a village on the Col de la Loze mountain pass.

Col de la Loze is in Les Trois Vallées, at an elevation of 2,304 metres (7,559 ft).[1][2] From Col de la Loze, one can ski to the nearby La Tania,[3][4] and Le Praz.[4] By chairlift, one can get from Col de la Loze to Courchevel and Méribel, and by button lift, one can get to La Tania.[5] From Col de la Loze, one can also cycle to  [fr].[6]

A path up the Col de la Loze was built in 2018[2] and was officially opened on 12 May 2019.[2] On the official opening day, there was still snow on the mountain,[7] and it was the first French mountain pass to be cleared of snow.[2] Vehicles are not permitted on the path.[8] The path is paved on the side toward Courchevel.[8] The path links Col de la Loze to Courchevel, and in 2020 was paved on the side to Méribel. There are future plans to continue the path to Val Thorens.[2] It is the seventh-highest mountain pass in France,[1] and the third-highest mountain pass in the Savoie region.[8]

Cycling[]

On 12 May 2019, the Col de la Loze held the Eiffage time trial event to commemorate its opening.[7][9] There were 2 races: one over a distance of 22.7 kilometres (14.1 mi), and one over a shorter distance of 8.6 kilometres (5.3 mi).[9]

The first professional cycle race to ascend to Col de la Loze was stage 8 of the 2019 Tour de l'Avenir.[10] The stage was won by Australia's Alexander Evans.[10]

Appearances in Tour de France[]

Col de la Loze was the summit finish for stage 17 of the 2020 Tour de France,[10] which was won by Colombian rider Miguel Ángel López.[11] The stage included an ascent of the Col de la Madeleine, which was not in the Tour de l'Avenir stage.[1][10] The climb up to Col de la Loze was 21.5 kilometres (13.4 mi) long, with an average gradient of 7.5%[10] and a maximum gradient of 24%.[12] The route followed a path formerly used by a 7 kilometres (4.3 mi) mechanical ski lift.[13] The ascent started in Brides-les-Bains and passed through Méribel, before turning onto the new path up to Col de la Loze.[14] The finish point was the highest point of the 2020 Tour.[14] Col de la Loze was one of two new summit finishes at the Tour, the other one being Grand Colombier.[1]

Year Stage Category Start Finish Leader at the summit
2020 17 HC Grenoble Méribel (Col de la Loze)  Miguel Ángel López (COL)

References[]

  1. ^ Jump up to: a b c d Farrand, Stephen (15 October 2019). "Tour de France 2020 route revealed". Cyclingnews.com. Retrieved 26 March 2020.
  2. ^ Jump up to: a b c d e Gallotti, Annabelle (12 May 2019). "Une nouvelle route d'altitude dédiée aux cyclistes à Courchevel". France Bleu (in French). Retrieved 26 March 2020.
  3. ^ Coxen, Adam; Hutchinson, Hugh; Goring, Jeremy (2005). Snow-Finder France. Wavefinder Limited. p. 183.
  4. ^ Jump up to: a b Leocha, Charles (2007). Ski Snowboard Europe. World Leisure Corporation.
  5. ^ "Les 3 Vallées Openings/Closings of Slopes and Lifts Live Timing". Les Trois Vallées. Retrieved 26 March 2020.
  6. ^ Auzias, Dominique; Labourdette, Jean-Paul (2019). Alpes 2019/2020 Petit Futé (in French). Le Petit Futé.
  7. ^ Jump up to: a b Aspden, Lucy (6 June 2019). "Ski resorts battle with walls of snow in rush to clear roads for summer". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 26 March 2020.
  8. ^ Jump up to: a b c "Col de la Loze : nouvel itinéraire cycliste". Le Dauphiné libéré (in French). 8 October 2018. Retrieved 26 March 2020.
  9. ^ Jump up to: a b "Première course cycliste au "nouveau" col de la Loze". Le Dauphiné libéré (in French). 14 May 2019. Retrieved 26 March 2020.
  10. ^ Jump up to: a b c d e Hood, Andrew (17 October 2019). "New giant of the Alps could play kingmaker in 2020 Tour". VeloNews. Retrieved 26 March 2020.
  11. ^ "Tour de France stage 17: Miguel Angel Lopez wins, Primoz Roglic stretches lead". BBC Sport. 16 September 2020. Retrieved 16 September 2020.
  12. ^ "Tour de France riders react: Just how hard was the Col de la Loze". Cycling Weekly. 16 September 2020. Retrieved 16 September 2020.
  13. ^ "Tour de France 2020 route includes 'crazy' new summit". The Connexion. 15 October 2019. Retrieved 26 March 2020.
  14. ^ Jump up to: a b Henrys, Colin (18 October 2019). "8 key climbs from the 2020 Tour de France: Epic ascents to watch or ride". Bike Radar. Retrieved 26 March 2020.
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