Superbagnères, 36 years later, the return of a mythical ascent long forgotten

High place of the Tour de France, the ascent of Superbagnères returns to the Grande Boucle after 36 years of absence, on one of the queens of this 112nd edition.

Col du Tourmalet, Col d'Aspin, Col de Peyresourde: in normal times, the sequence of these three giants of the Pyrenees is enough. But, this year, the Tour de France added a icing to this already very generous cake on the 14th stage: the final ascent towards Superbagnères, above Luchon. An iconic climb, theater of epic duels on the big loop, but which had not been borrowed by the peloton for 36 years.

“It is a beautiful climb, very long, with a lot of changes of rhythm, and three last kilometers uncovered, very steep”describes Thierry Gouvenou. “With the menu offered before day, it will be very difficult. This is the kind of step that the Tour favorites cannot miss. There can be very big differences”. 12.4 km long, with an average slope of 7.4%, and passages at more than 10%, the ascent to Superbagnères will be, for sure, a highlight of this 112nd edition, as it was in the past.

“Luchon wanted the Tour to come back to Superbagnères for years, but we were technically blocked because of the tonnages of three bridges, which prevented us from passing the technical means necessary for the arrival of a stage”justifies the one who draws the course each year, and who remembers the duel between Jacques Anquetil and Raymond Poulidor. “Unfortunately, I never rolled on it when I was a runner”only regrets Thierry Gouvenou, happy to see this monument of the history of the Tour return to the course.

“The community has redone the bridges, not for the Tour, but suddenly, the tour can come back. We are delighted to return to a stage which is the exact replica of 1986 where Bernard Hinault after having taken yellow the day before, had again attacked, before cracking and being exceeded by Greg Lemond”recalls Christian Prudhomme. Indeed, the badger, on the same route as that of the stage of the day, and a year after winning it was supposed, for his last Tour de France, helping the American to conquer the yellow jersey, but wanted to see “If he was worthy of it “. He had attacked from afar, before collapsing completely in the climb to Superbagnères, in which Greg Lemond had therefore won his stripes.

Appeared on the Route du Tour for the first time in 1961, Superbagnères had been the scene of six arrivals until 1989, with prestigious winners at his record including Federico Bahamontès (1962), Bernard Hinault (1979) or Greg Lemond therefore (1986).

For the last year, the Scottish Robert Millar won there, in front of another French in yellow: Laurent Fignon. Since then, the technical constraints necessary for the passage of the Tour de France had gradually overshadowed this monument. After 36 years of waiting, Superbagnères finally finds the light, to the delight of followers, including Yoann Offdo. “I set it up on the Pyrenees road, and it's a quagmire. It's very long, and it will mark this 2025 tour” “thus promises the France Television consultant.

“There is 5,000 meters of elevation over 110 km, with Superbagnères at the end. This is an extremely difficult step, and therefore not to miss.”

Yoann Offredo

In Franceinfo: Sport

Winner at the Alpe d'Huez in 2011, Pierre Rolland also appreciates this return: “I like when the tour innovates, but I also like when it comes back where the story of our sport has written. When you are a runner, you like these days when you think about this runner who marked you when you were young”. Except that with a last ascent of superbagnères dating back 36 years, it is more than time to create new memories for current runners.