Col Agnel

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Col Agnel
Colleagnello001.jpg
Elevation 2,744 m (9,003 ft)
Traversed byD205 / SP251
Location Hautes-Alpes, France
Province of Cuneo, Italy
Range Cottian Alps
Coordinates 44°41′2″N06°58′46″E / 44.68389°N 6.97944°E / 44.68389; 6.97944
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Col Agnel
Location of Col Agnel
Col Agnel signpost Znak na przeleczy Col Agnel -- Colle dell'Agnello (2025-08-23).jpg
Col Agnel signpost

Col Agnel (Italian : Colle dell'Agnello) is a mountain pass in the Cottian Alps, west of Monte Viso between France and Italy which links the Queyras valley (Hautes-Alpes) with Pontechianale in the province of Cuneo, Piedmont.

Contents

At 2,744 m (9,003 ft), it is the third highest paved road pass of the Alps, after Stelvio Pass and Col de l'Iseran.

Despite being the highest international pass of the Alps, [1] Col Agnel is somewhat unknown and not heavily used. It is one of the many passes suggested as the route taken by Hannibal in his march, with elephants, to attack Rome at the start of the Second Punic War and a modern-era plaque, mounted on a rock on the French side, commemorates the event. [2]

Cycling

From Château-Queyras (France), the climb is 20.5 km long at an average gradient of 6.6%. From Casteldelfino (Italy), the climb is 22.4 km long at an average gradient of 6.5%.

Tour de France

The Col Agnel was crossed for the first time on 20 July 2008 during stage 15 of the 2008 Tour de France. The Col Agnel was crossed for the Second Time on 21 July 2011 during Stage 18 of The 2011 Tour de France.

YearStageCategoryStartFinishLeader at the summit
2011 18 HC Pinerolo Serre-Chevalier Flag of Kazakhstan.svg  Maxim Iglinsky  (KAZ)
2008 15 HC Embrun Prato Nevoso Flag of Spain.svg  Egoi Martínez  (ESP)

Giro d'Italia

The Col Agnel has been crossed twice during Giro d'Italia.

YearStageCategoryStartFinishLeader at the summit
1994 201 Cuneo Les Deux Alpes Flag of Italy.svg  Stefano Zanini  (ITA)
2000 191 Saluzzo Briançon Flag of Colombia.svg  Chepe González  (COL)
2007 121 Scalenghe Briançon Flag of France.svg  Yoann Le Boulanger  (FRA)
2016 191 Pinerolo Risoul Flag of Italy.svg  Michele Scarponi  (ITA)

See also

Notes

  1. The Stelvio is higher, and connects regions of three languages, but it has not been an international crossing since the border changes that followed World War I.
  2. Prevas, John (2001). Hannibal crosses the Alps : the invasion of Italy and the Punic Wars. Cambridge, MA: Da Capo Press. p. 159. ISBN   9780306810701.