The Col de Val Louron-Azet (or Col d'Azet) (elevation 1,580 m (5,180 ft)) is a mountain pass in the French Pyrenees in the department of Hautes-Pyrénées, which links Saint-Lary-Soulan and Azet, in the Aure Valley to the west, with Génos and Loudenvielle in the Louron Valley to the east. To the east of the pass is the Val-Louron ski station, and the GR10 footpath is also nearby.[2]
Starting from Génos, the hairpin climb is 7.5 km (4.7 mi) long. Over this distance, the climb is 620 m (2,030 ft) at an average gradient of 8.3%, with the steepest section being at 13.6%.[3]
Starting from Bazus-Aure, near to Saint-Lary-Soulan, the climb is 12 km (7.5 mi) long. Over this distance, the climb is 807 m (2,648 ft) at an average gradient of 6.7%, with the steepest sections being at 14.0%.[4]
Starting from Bourisp, the climb is 10.7 km (6.6 mi) long. Over this distance, the climb is 780 m (2,560 ft) at an average gradient of 7.3%, with the steepest sections being at 13.5%.[5]
The Col de Val Louron-Azet was first used in the Tour de France in 1997, since when it has featured ten times, most recently in 2022.[6][7]
| Year | Stage | Category | Start | Finish | Leader at the summit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 17 | 1 | Saint-Gaudens | Peyragudes |  Tadej Pogačar (SLO)
|
| 2021 | 17 | 1 | Muret | Col du Portet |  Anthony Perez (FRA)
|
| 2018 | 17 | 1 | Bagnères-de-Luchon | Col du Portet | Julian Alaphilippe (FRA)
|
| 2016 | 8 | 1 | Pau | Bagnères-de-Luchon |  Wout Poels (NED)
|
| 2014 | 17 | 1 | Saint-Gaudens | Saint-Lary-Soulan Pla d'Adet |  Joaquim Rodríguez (ESP)
|
| 2013 | 9 | 1 | Saint-Girons | Bagnères-de-Bigorre |  Simon Clarke (AUS)
|
| 2005 | 15 | 1 | Lézat-sur-Lèze | Saint-Lary-Soulan Pla d'Adet | Laurent Brochard (FRA)
|
| 2001 | 13 | 1 | Foix | Saint-Lary-Soulan Pla d'Adet | Laurent Jalabert (FRA)
|
| 1999 | 15 | 1 | Saint-Gaudens | Piau-Engaly | Fernando Escartín (ESP)
|
| 1997 | 9 | 1 | Pau | Loudenvielle-Vallée du Louron |  Marco Pantani (ITA)
|
