Col des Chevrères

The Col des Chevrères (elevation 916 m (3,005 ft)) is a mountain pass situated in the Vosges Mountains, in the Haute-Saône department of France, between Servance and Plancher-les-Mines. The Tour de France cycle race crossed the col for the first time on Stage 10 of the 2014 race.

Col des Chevrères
Col des Chevrères Location of Col des Chevrères
Elevation	916 m (3,005 ft)[1]
Traversed by	D133/D98
Location	Haute-Saône, Franche-Comté, France
Range	Vosges Mountains
Coordinates	47°47′29″N 6°44′32″E

Cycle racing

Details of climb

From Servance, to the north-west, the climb is 10.3 km (6.4 mi) long, gaining 516 m (1,693 ft) in altitude, at an average gradient of 5%.^[2] The steepest sustained sections are in excess of 11%,^[2] although some short sections above Miellin are at 18%.^[3]

From Plancher-les-Mines, to the south, the climb via Belfahy is 12.8 km (8.0 mi) long, gaining 495 m (1,624 ft) in altitude, at an average gradient of 3.9%.^[4]

Tour de France

On July 14, 2014, the Tour de France cycle race crossed the col for the first time en route from Mulhouse to La Planche des Belles Filles.^[3][5] When announcing the route, Christian Prudhomme explained his reasons for deciding to send the 2014 Tour over passes not used previously: "I like to use the other massifs than the usual Alps and Pyrenees. I believe the race can be won and lost anytime."^[6]

The first rider over the summit was the Spaniard, Joaquim Rodriguez.^[3]