The Col du Platzerwasel (elevation 1,182 m (3,878 ft)) is a mountain pass situated in the Vosges Mountains in the Haut-Rhin department of France, between Sondernach and Le Markstein. It has been crossed occasionally during the Tour de France cycle race, including on Stage 10 of the 2014 race.[2]

Col du Platzerwasel
The summit of the col
Elevation1,182 m (3,878 ft)[1]
Traversed byD27
LocationHaut-Rhin, France
RangeVosges Mountains
Coordinates47°58′10″N 7°2′35″E / 47.96944°N 7.04306°E / 47.96944; 7.04306
Col du Platzerwasel is located in Alps
Col du Platzerwasel
Col du Platzerwasel
Location of Col du Platzerwasel

Details of climb

edit

From the north-east, the climb starts in Munster from where the climb is 16.2 km (10.1 mi) long, gaining 781 m (2,562 ft) in altitude, at an average gradient of 4.8%.[3] At Sondernach, the climb meets the descent from the Col du Petit Ballon; from here the summit is 7.1 km (4.4 mi) at an average gradient of 8.4%.[2] The steepest sections of the climb are at a gradient of 9.6% between 6 km (4 mi) and 4 km (2 mi) from the summit.[3]

Tour de France

edit

Including 2014, the col has been crossed four times by the Tour de France.[4]

Year Stage Category Start Finish Leader at the summit
2023 20 1 Belfort Le Markstein Fellering   Felix Gall (AUT)
2014 10 1 Mulhouse La Planche des Belles Filles   Joaquim Rodríguez (ESP)
2009 13 1 Vittel Colmar   Sylvain Chavanel (FRA)
1967 8 2 Strasbourg Ballon d'Alsace   Jesús Aranzábal (ESP)

On the 10th stage of the 2014 Tour de France, Alberto Contador crashed on the descent from the Col du Platzerwasel,[5] breaking his tibia. After riding on for 20 km, he eventually abandoned the Tour.[6]

It will be the final mountain climb in the 2023 Tour de France, in stage 20 on 22 July 2023, before a stage finish nearby at Le Markstein Fellering.

Tour de France Femmes

edit

The col was used on Stage 7 of the 2022 Tour de France Femmes.[7]

Year Stage Category Start Finish Leader at the summit
2022 7 1 Sélestat Le Markstein Fellering   Annemiek van Vleuten (NED)

References

edit
  1. ^ Per IGN map
  2. ^ a b "Stage 10: Mulhouse to La Planche des Belles Filles". Tour de France. Amaury Sport Organisation. Archived from the original on 5 July 2014. Retrieved 13 July 2014.
  3. ^ a b "Col de Platzerwasel - Munster". www.climbbybike.com. Retrieved 13 July 2014.
  4. ^ "Le col du Platzerwasel dans le Tour de France" (in French). ledicodutour. Retrieved 30 July 2022.
  5. ^ Cary, Tom (14 July 2014). "Alberto Contador crashes out as Vincenzo Nibali takes Stage 10 and yellow jersey". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 15 July 2014.
  6. ^ "Tour de France 2014: Alberto Contador pulls out on stage 10". BBC Sport. 14 July 2014. Retrieved 15 July 2014.
  7. ^ "Van Vleuten in her own world - Tour de France Femmes 2022". www.letourfemmes.fr. Retrieved 2022-07-30.