La Hourquette d'Ancizan
Elevation1,564 m (5,131 ft)[1]
Traversed byD113
LocationHautes-Pyrénées, France
RangePyrenees
Coordinates42°54′01″N 0°18′19″E / 42.90028°N 0.30528°E / 42.90028; 0.30528
La Hourquette d'Ancizan is located in Pyrenees
La Hourquette d'Ancizan
La Hourquette d'Ancizan
Location in the Pyrenees
Northern view from Hourquette d'Ancizan

La Hourquette d'Ancizan (elevation 1,564 m (5,131 ft)) is a mountain pass in the French Pyrenees in the department of Hautes-Pyrénées, between the communities of Ancizan (east) and Campan (west).

Toponymy

The origin of the word hourquette is unclear. French Wikipedia speculates the word is derived from a Gascon given name, via the Latin furca meaning 'fork'.[2] The word is very similar to the Spanish noun horqueta 'fork' and French noun fourchette 'fork', both of which have etymological roots in the same Latin word furca.[3]

The word hourquette appears frequently in the toponymy of the Hautes-Pyrénées, particularly in the names of cols.[4] In practical French usage, it could be taken to mean 'small pass'.

Details of climb

One of the mountain pass cycling milestones along the ascent from Ancizan

Starting from Ancizan, the climb is 10.3 km (6.4 mi) long. Over this distance, the climb is 805 m (2,641 ft) (an average of 7.8%). After Ancizan, the road goes up sharply, with stretches of 15% in the first kilometre, but after the first 3 km (1.9 mi), the climb becomes more moderate.[5]

Starting from Campan, the climb is 22.6 km (14.0 mi) long. Over this distance, the climb is 904 m (2,966 ft) (an average of 4.0%), with the steepest section being at 10.0%.[6]

On both sides of the climb mountain pass cycling milestones are placed every kilometre. They indicate the height of the summit, the distance to the summit, the current height, and the average slope in the following kilometre. Such signposting for cyclists has become common in most major mountain passes in the French Pyrenees and Alps.

Appearances in Tour de France

La Hourquette d'Ancizan was first used in the Tour de France on stage 12 of the 2011 tour, when the leader over the summit was Laurent Mangel.[7]

The climb was also used in the 2013 tour on the 168.5 km "roller-coaster" stage 9 from Saint-Girons to Bagnères-de-Bigorre. Dan Martin from Garmin-Sharp won the stage.

The climb was used in the 2016 tour on the 184.4 km 8 from Pau to Bagnères-de-Luchon. Chris Froome of Team Sky won the stage and took the yellow jersey.

The climb was part of 210km stage 12 of the 2019 tour, from Toulouse to Bagnères-de-Bigorre, ascending from Ancizan following the Col de Peyresourde.

The climb was part of 130km stage 17 of the 2022 tour, from Saint-Gaudens to Peyragudes, ascending from Payolle following the Col d'Aspin.

Year Stage Category Start Finish Leader at the summit
2022 17 2 Saint-Gaudens Peyragudes  Thibaut Pinot (FRA)
2019 12 1 Toulouse Bagnères-de-Bigorre  Simon Yates (GBR)
2016 8 2 Pau Bagnères-de-Luchon  Chris Froome (GBR)
2013 9 1 Saint-Girons Bagnères-de-Bigorre  Daniel Martin (IRL)
2011 12 1 Cugnaux Luz Ardiden  Laurent Mangel (FRA)

References

  1. ↑ IGN map
  2. ↑ "Hourquette d'Ancizan", Wikipédia (in French), 2022-07-20, retrieved 2022-07-20
  3. ↑ "forqueta", Wiktionary, 2022-06-28, retrieved 2022-07-20
  4. ↑ "Hourquette", Wikipédia (in French), 2021-12-15, retrieved 2022-07-20
  5. ↑ "Hourquette d'Ancizan – Ancizan". www.climbbybike.com. Retrieved 19 September 2011.
  6. ↑ "Hourquette d'Ancizan – Campan". www.climbbybike.com. Retrieved 19 September 2011.
  7. ↑ "La Hourquette d'Ancizan dans le Tour de France" (in French). Retrieved 20 July 2022.
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