We’ve finally come to the end of our long list of cols for this year’s Etapes du Tour. The Col de Peyresourde is not the finishing line for Act Two, but will be the final climb before the long descent into the spa town of Luchon. Peyresourde is 8.3km long with an average gradient of 7.6% from the side we will be climbing (west) and is 1569m at the top.
These modest stats (except the gradient, which is substantial) taken alone aren’t very scary, but this will be the final ascent of the day and therefore the place where many souls will be searched and there will be much deep digging going on, I am sure.
Peyresourde, just like Tourmalet and Aspin, has been used in the Tour since 1910 and has never had a summit finish. Little photographic drama has been played out it seems, so I leave you with a shot from the Tour of 2003. Here’s a fun game. Can you pick the doper who is still riding?
The Vicious Cycle 
Hmm? Everyone in this picture was busted for drugs, with the exception of Lance, who expects us to believe that he’s naturally better than his competitors that received a 15% to 20% drug induced performance advantage.
LOL at the comment above. No comment.
Add this one to the bucket list. Love that spaghetti-road image.