Colle delle Finestre
| Colle delle Finestre | |
|---|---|
| Elevation | 2,178 m (7,146 ft) |
| Location | Piemonte, Italy |
| Range | Alps |
| Coordinates | 45°04′18.49″N 7°03′12.48″E / 45.0718028°N 7.0534667°E |
Colle delle Finestre Location of Colle delle Finestre. | |
Colle delle Finestre (2,178 metres (7,146 ft)) is a mountain pass in the Cottian Alps, in the Italian region of Piemonte, Italy, linking the Susa Valley and Val Chisone. The road was built around 1700 to gain access to the fortresses in the area, mainly the Forte di Fenestrelle.
The road is very popular for both cyclists and motorbikes with magnificent views of the surrounding mountain ranges. It serves as a tourist attraction. From Susa, the mountain pass is 18.5 kilometres (11.5 mi) long at an average of 9.1% (elevation gain: 1,694 metres (5,558 ft)), the maximum gradient being 14%. The final 8 kilometres (5.0 mi) of road leading to the summit from the Susa end have not been asphalted.[1]
Giro d'Italia
The pass was first tackled by the Giro d'Italia in 2005. In 2018, Chris Froome attacked on the climb, gaining over three minutes over rivals and setting up his victory.[2] In 2025, Simon Yates overturned a substantial deficit to his rivals, thereby setting up his victory in the Giro.[3] In 2026, the pass will feature in the Giro d'Italia Women for the first time.
| Year | Stage | Category | Start | Finish | Leader at the summit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | 19 | 1 | Savigliano | Sestriere | Danilo di Luca (ITA) |
| 2011 | 20 | 1 | Verbania | Sestriere | Vasil Kiryienka (BLR) |
| 2015 | 20 | Cima Coppi | Saint-Vincent | Sestriere | Mikel Landa (ESP) |
| 2018 | 19 | Cima Coppi | Venaria Reale | Bardonecchia (Jafferau) | Chris Froome (GBR) |
| 2025 | 20 | Cima Coppi | Verrès | Sestriere | Chris Harper (AUS) |
See also
- List of highest paved roads in Europe
- List of mountain passes
- Cycling Details for Colle delle Finestre
References
- ^ "Giro d'Italia Women 2026, a Thrilling Journey from Romagna to Saluzzo". Giro d'Italia Women 2026. Retrieved 2026-01-15.
- ^ Price, Matilda (2025-05-04). "Snow, gravel and a Chris Froome epic – The Colle delle Finestre is the modern legend of the Giro d'Italia". Cyclingnews. Retrieved 2026-01-15.
- ^ Bassam, Tom (2025-05-31). "Simon Yates pulls off stunning comeback to all but seal Giro d'Italia triumph". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2026-01-15.