cycling Col du Tourmalet - Sainte Marie de Campan

Awesome ride, great views! Retraced part of Stage 9 of the 2009 Tour from Arreau up the Col DAspin and over to the Tourmalet. The day started off misty and cool (last week of September) but the sun came out and the best part - it was relatively calm! Aspin was actually a pleasant ride and a good warmup for what came next. The start of the Tourmalet fools you - 4 and 5 % grades .. ""This will be a piece of cake"" .. then it starts. As others have said, the last 10k are tough with the section leading up to and through La Mongie very tough. Surprisingly there werent a lot of cyclists that day but there were plenty of sheep, goats,cows and llamas on the road to keep me company! No speeed records for sure that day but Id highly recommend this climb to anyone. Rate it right up there with Ventoux.

My personal climb rating: 5 stars

I climbed the tourmalet this summer and I have to admid that it was a spectacular experience! The 4 first kilmoters are enjoyable in the heat of the pyrenees but then the real work begins. It was a difficult climb for me because I didnt have the right gear 39 - 25, this caused me trouble in the last 3 kilometers but I made it. Next year I will climbe it again whit the right gear! Spectacular view at the top!

My personal climb rating: 4 stars

I climbed the tourmalet this summer and I have to admid that it was a spectacular experience! The 4 first kilmoters are enjoyable in the heat of the pyrenees but then the real work begins. It was a difficult climb for me because I didnt have the right gear 39 - 25, this caused me trouble in the last 3 kilometers but I made it. Next year I will climbe it again whit the right gear! Spectacular view at the top!

My personal climb rating: 5 stars

On the 20th august 2008, together with a friend, we climbed one of the ""big three"". Although we had chosen to start our climb from the ""easiest"" side (St Marie de Campan), it still takes a great effort to reach the top. The first 5 ks are not very hard but then, the road gets more steep till the top (7,5-10,5). The view on the top is magnificient!

My personal climb rating: 4 stars

I climbed this 2 days ago in blistering Pyrenean heat. I left my place just outside of Lourdes headed for St Marie de Campan. The 35km to this point was all gently uphill which started to give the legs a feel of what was to come. The first 3 signposted kilometers were easy, but just after Gripp things start to get serious, and the gradient indicator on my Garmin was constantly between 8 and 10%. The couple of kilometers before La Mongie were the toughest of the climb, but by this point the views start to get more and more spectacular, which make the pain a little easier to accept! the 4kms after La Mongie remain steep, but by now the summit is in reach and adrelanine powered me to the top. Unforgettable experience, and definitely the highlight of my time in the Pyrenees. The Aspin from Arreau was also memorable, but the Tourmalet incredible.

My personal climb rating: 5 stars

I love this climb!! Ive climbed it 4 times on the ascent form Ste Marie de Campan. Its awesome and the history that surrounds it for a racing cyclist just added to its mystique for me!! I left Bagneres de Bigorre to attempt an ascent to the Pid du Midi Observatory at 2977M!! Id climbed the Tourmalet before and soon settled in to the drag up past Gripp and on to the hairpin after Arizes waterfall. From there the Tourmalet starts to bite, and the long slog begins up to La Mongie ski resort. Then it really tightens and the road begins to swtichback and the last 4kms seem to last forever especially when your goal is in sight for most of this last section. I broke a chain here the previous day and had to walk 3kms to the cafe at the top, was funny watching peoples faces when they saw a bike at the top of the Tourmalet with NO chain!!! Anyway, made it up safely and then began ascent to the Pic du Midi..but thats another climb (see elsewhere!!)