Port de Bales - Mauléon Barousse

Ive climbed it just before the TdF peloton. The camping cars on the sides of the road added a lot to the great atmosphere. The climb itself starts as if if nothing was going on. When it finally starts to rise, its pretty steep. The average 6.3% doesnt describe this climb very good. The very steep parts with more than 10% are interleaved with almost flat parts. Most of this climb is in the forrest, so you get views of the beautiful mountains only in the last 4-5 km. I would rate it 5 for difficulty but only 3 for the views and enjoyment.

My personal climb rating:

A great climb and one you feel a great sense of achivement for making. Its very easy to go to hard to early as every rider who passed me during the early Kms found out. The road is a little crap in places even though its been re-surfaced. I rode up the morning before the tour went over and Im not so sure that the riders will suffer to much to be honest. I did theclimb, then rode down 2kms to find my freind and then rode back up on the 50 ring just for fun. go ride it, youll love it

Climbed the Port de Bales, from the Mauleon Barrousse side last autumn, just after theyd put the new road down on the other side. Its a beautiful, picturesque climb, with a fairly easy bottom section (be warned - its easy to get the pace too high here and then be cooked when you get to the steeper middle sections. The descent is FAST, especially the bottom section as you approach the bottom of the Col de Peyresourde. If you are going up the Peyresourde on the same ride, be warned- there is NO valley section at all before the climb starts again. The Bales descent finishes and the Peyresourde starts immediately. With the Col de Port, Col de Portet dAspet and the Col de Mente already in their legs the 2007 TdF riders (stage 15) and the 2007 Etape du Tour riders for that matter are really going to be blown to pieces!