Tour De France
Date
10.05.12
Information
Panos Pictures asked me if I would contribute to a book they're working on covering the great cycle tournaments around the world. they were looking for landscapes of the races outside of the race season. I'd been to the Col du Tourmalet stage of the Tour de France over the summer and thought it would make some interesting images. It was late April so I was quite surprised to find the 2115 meter summit still covered in snow. It made for an interesting trek up the mountain in gale force winds, up to my waist in snow drifts at times.
Halfway up the first of the climbs, Hourqutte d'Ancizan. Tour de France Stage 12 (2011) France. April 2012
View from the summit of the Hourquette d'Ancizan climb. Tour de France Stage 12 (2011) France. April 2012
Heading down from Hourquette d'Ancizan towards the big one Col du Tourmalet. Tour de France Stage 12 (2011) France. April 2012
On the snow covered Col de Tourmalet, the highest summit of the stage. Tour de France Stage 12 (2011) France. April 2012
Closed ski lifts swing about in the gale force winds on the Col du Tourmalet. Tour de France Stage 12 (2011) France. April 2012
The summit, 2115 meters. The shops are shut. No one's going to be visiting for at least a month! Tour de France Stage 12 (2011) France. April 2012
View from the summit looking East. Tour de France Stage 12 (2011) France. April 2012
Painted roads on the route down from Col du Tourmalet. Tour de France Stage 12 (2011) France. April 2012
9% incline sign on the final summit, Luz Ardiden. Tour de France Stage 12 (2011) France. April 2012
The road waves it way up to the summit and finishing line at Luz Ardiden. Tour de France Stage 12 (2011) France. April 2012
On the final summit, Luz Ardiden. Tour de France Stage 12 (2011) France. April 2012
