Road Bike Kit - Col du Galibier

About the Mountain

The Galibier is another of those mountain passes that has made its way into Tour de France folklore. The iconic climb has been used multiple times in the Tour.

In the 2011 Tour de France one of the race favourites, Andy Schlek, had lost time on earlier stages and chose stage 18, finishing at the summit of the Galibier, to launch a massive attack from a huge distance out in an effort to gain back the time lost and win the Tour.

Schlek's team mate, Maxine Monfort, was sent up the road in a breakaway group and when Schlek attacked on the Col d'Izoard, Monfort waited to pace schlek in the valley. Schlek gained time on all his rivals and went on to a tremendous solo stage win but didn't gain enough time to hold off his rival, Cadel Evans, who won the race that year.

Stage 18 of the 2011 Tour de France is the highest stage finnish to date at 2645m

A monument to Henri Degrange, the creator of the Tour de France, can be seen near the summit of the Galibier. A cash prize, Souvenier Degrange, is awarded each year in the Tour de France for the first rider to reach this monument or if this climb is not included, the highest point in the tour for that year.