Читать книгу Tour Climbs: The complete guide to every mountain stage on the Tour de France - Chris Sidwells - Страница 46

Length: 11.5 km

Altitude: 1517 metres

Height gain: 807 metres

Average gradient: 7%

Maximum gradient: 10.9%

Starting in Vicdessos, the Port de Lers climbs up through the Suc et Sentenac forest to join the road to the Col d’Agnes. Its first Tour de France visit was in 1995 when Marco Pantani blasted up the climb on his way to winning a stage at Guzet-Neige. The Tour visited the climb again in 2001, but did so from the other side.

The area of the Pyrenees in which this climb and the others around it are located is known as the Couserans and it is one of the most unspoilt parts, and certainly one of the most sparsely populated, of the whole of France. According to the 1999 census there are only 18 inhabitants per square kilometre living in this area. It makes for some very peaceful riding, and you will meet very few cars, as the ones that are here are quickly absorbed in an extensive network of tiny back roads.

The climb is up a fairly straight road which is interrupted occasionally by hairpins that help it climb the steepest slopes. The gradient doesn’t fluctuate much above or below its average, but there are two short stretches of ten percent. One comes after two kilometres, and the other is about three kilometres from the top. There is a short descent to the road that goes over the Col d’Agnes.

WHICH WAY? Vicdessos is 15 kilometres southwest of Tarascon-sur-Ariège on the D8. Turn right off the D8 onto the D18, which turns into the D15 and is the road over the climb. If you descend the Col d’Agnes on the D18 to Massat and turn right onto the D618 you can climb the Col de Port and complete a circuit in Tarascon-sur-Ariege that is 85 kilometres long.