Col du Grand Cucheron, at an elevation of , is a mountain pass in the Alps in the department of Savoie in France. The pass crosses the northern end of the Belledonne massif, connecting the Maurienne and Isère valleys. The climb to the col was used on Stage 12 of the 2012 Tour de France.
Cycle racing
Details of the climbs From Les Granges (near Le Pontet) (west) the ascent is long. Over this distance, the elevation changes by at an average gradient of 7.7 percent.
From La Corbière (near Saint-Pierre-de-Belleville) (east), the climb is long, gaining at an average of 6.9 percent. This was the direction from which the col was climbed in the 2012 Tour de France.
The climb can also be accessed from Aiguebelle (northeast) from where the route is at an average of 6.1 percent, gaining . This route connects with that from La Corbière just after passing through Saint-Georges-des-Hurtières.
Appearances in Tour de France The pass was first included in the Tour de France in 1972 and has since featured three times, most recently in 2012. It is generally ranked as a Category 2 climb. It was crossed on Stage 12 of the 2012 tour, between Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne and Annonay-Davézieux, approaching from the direction of Saint-Pierre-de-Belleville.
YearStageCategory StartFinish Leader at the summit201212 1 Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne Annonay-Davézieux 1998 16 2 Vizille Albertville 1983 17 2 La Tour-du-Pin L'Alpe d'Huez 1972 14b 2 Valloire Aix-les-Bains
References
External links Le col du Grand Cucheron dans le Tour de France Col du Grand Cucheron cycling challenge