Col d'Izoard (Briançon) - Cycling Inspiration & Education

Although the north face of the Col d’Izoard may not have had quite as much of the Tour de France limelight as its southern ascent, don’t let that little piece of trivia misguide your judgement towards this mythical mountain that stands centre stage of the Route des Grandes Alpes (Great Alpine Road) stretching 684km from Lake Geneva to the shores of the Mediterranean. Starting in Briançon it’s a stern test, just shy of 20km in length and cloaked in larch wood trees almost all the way up to its 2,360 metre summit. While they offer shelter from the elements they also obscure your view and hold you in suspense right until the very end, gradually peeling back their layers to reveal the 3,320 metre Pic de Rochebrune amidst a mountain landscape beyond words. Deep breath, relax and peace.
Start: Briançon
Length: 19.5km
Summit: 2,360m
Elevation gain: 1,145m
Average gradient: 5.8%
Max gradient: 9%
Special thanks to our partners Mavic, Cannondale, Exposure Lights, Fi’zi:k, Haute Route, La Fuga, Lezyne, Map My Tracks, Muc Off, Scicon, The Sufferfest, Torq Fitness and USE for enabling us to bring these truly spectacular mountains to life for you all. If you're in need of new bike kit in the future and you enjoyed this video then bear them in mind and help keep the wheels turning :-)
For more help and advice visit our website at thecolcollective.com, become part of our col community and sign up for our free newsletter for monthly updates.
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Stay well, ride safe and thank you for watching.
Mike Cotty
The Col Collective
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[@robertkearley3900]

Watch this video so many times… it’s of the best.. the music , the mountain … incredible

[@TheColCollective]

Thank you so much!! 🙏🏻

[@choctawone8266]

I climbed this with three friend in 2015, shortly after Mike made this video. The music and photography captures this climb so very well. It is one of my favorites. I was in the US and intentionally did not watch it to the end at the time because I wanted the climb to retain some mystery.

[@TheColCollective]

Amazing!! Super cool story and thanks for sharing! 🐮

[@michaelbaumgartner2120]

I climed the Izoard from Briançon in july this year. I started early in the morning, it was a beautiful warm day and there wasn't any traffic yet at this early hour. All things combined one of the most beautiful and memorable climbs I did in my life. The piano tune starting at 4:12 perfectly underlines the memories I have from that day.

[@kwacker45]

Thanks, love this collection

[@denisfaure-brac2403]

Great video! Home sweet home. Living in Briançon during my youth, I had to chance to climb Izoard so many times.I liked it a lot, not too difficult from the North but still quite long and rewarding climb. Landscape up there are magnificient. Getting back in Alps in early May, the Izoard might already be open...

[@TheColCollective]

Lucky man Denis, such a great area for cycling :-)

[@jgramsey]

Another stellar video, many thanks. Its a great ride and there's a rewarding gelato shop at the bottom in Briancon, too!

[@mike7173]

The sheer beauty of it leaves me speechless. Thank You

[@GilletNickOrme]

.....simply beautiful!.......you lucky, lucky man.......thanks for the inspiration

[@TheColCollective]

GilletNick Orme A pleasure, thanks for watching!

[@iwanyarmastaja3072]

Soo great road and huge climb .) nice one.....

[@josenavarronebot7616]

Estupenda colección. ¡A por más puertos! Una gozada, muchas gracias.

[@markusbremer2701]

I did it this year. My bike was broken, and i had one day with a rental bike to do this climb. It was so much fun that i descended the other side, continued to the Col d'Agnel, descended from the same side, climbed Izoard one more time and descended back to Briancon. it took something like 10 hours, but it was worth it ;)

[@mannyf1441]

Great series of videos, love watching them on the flat screen at home... beautiful and inspirational. Keep 'em coming!

[@Media-24CoUk]

Fantastic! Stay tuned for more to come! :-)

[@ralphwalker2798]

Another superb job by you and your team, Mike! These videos are always inspirational. More history as you do more climbs, please! Cycling's history is so rich with stories that we should all know and remember, and the mountains hold so many of those stories.

[@MikeCotty]

Will do our best! Hard to remember my own name sometimes as the gradient and heart rate starts to rise.

[@DjordjeNovkovic11]

Greetings from Belgrade I so wish i was on your place! :D Thank you and you`re team for combineing nature, sport and pain into these beautiful artistic videos! i havent skiped any so far ;)

[@t.brzewski]

it's amazing, every time you ride alone!!!! I know I know magic of movie:) another great video, motivation 100%

[@TheColCollective]

Best feeling in the world! Open road surrounded by mountain peaks is the medicine of life! Ride safe. Mike

[@spencerlong3022]

Beautiful work again Mike, what a backdrop at 4.59 wow..thanks keep them coming

[@TheColCollective]

That backdrop is mind blowing! So beautiful it's untrue!

[@robertkearley3900]

The music is amazing

[@rahulkota1]

Wonderful work again... Mike Cotty , you made it look easy as ever... Keep them coming these are some of the most awesome cycling videos we get to see... Finally managed to see a rider climbing infront of you in the video :) ... Or normally you are the only one in the videos... And the 'Col Collective maths'...hahaha that was something...Cheers!!!

[@TheColCollective]

Ha! You can't beat a bit of Col Collective maths.....although sometimes my brain doesn't work so well, especially at altitude! ;-) More videos on the way!! M

[@goeddeandre9804]

One of my beloved House Mountains i Fighted and enjoyed both♥️👍🙏🔥

[@philthemod]

Great video and top quality. Please keep up the good work, these videos are amazing. I climbed the Col d'Izoard recently from Briancon, its a stunning ride just like you described it. How about a video for the Col du Granon, that was a hard climb.

[@kwacker45]

Third time watching..one word......inspirational...Chapeau😀

[@MikeCotty]

Superb! Glad you enjoyed and thanks for getting our views up!

[@deraetmaxime4941]

inspiring, stellar indeed, mike you make a tremendous job, you make me want riding my bike more often!!! Music is also stuning on that video... Keep up!!!

[@TheColCollective]

Exactly what I love to hear. Inspired to ride! Perfect! :-)

[@user-rc8eq9jq4f]

fantastic job what spectacular views, we don't have anything like this in California.

[@TheColCollective]

***** We recorded this in late June last year. As you know it can be busy at this time of the year so best to leave early if possible to beat the traffic. Col Agnel will be coming in the next few weeks, such an incredible climb, absolutely one of the greatest there is to ride!

[@cl9k24la]

lovely

[@stereosteve7892]

Great inspiration! Thank you. Keep going. You should think about doing some climbs in the Austrian alps, from Tirol, great stuff there.

[@MikeCotty]

For sure! On the bucket list!

[@basseb1]

Fantastic and inspirational video as always! You should do the Grossglockner -Edelweissspitze. It's an absolute beast of a mountain, but insanely beautiful and with a cobbled finish the final 1.5 km or so.

[@TheColCollective]

Yep, had the pleasure of riding the Grossglockner many years ago. Still brings a huge smile to my face now so for sure a climb we need to do again one day!

[@Barrelwell]

Another epic route Mike, makes me wanna get on my bike, inspirational!!

[@MikeCotty]

Superb Kev, that's what we like to hear! Ride safe! Mike

[@Barrelwell]

Thanks, can i ask what model and spec of bike you are using Mike?

[@MikeCotty]

Hi Kev, It's a Cannondale SuperSix EVO Hi Mod with Mavic Cosmic Carbone 40 wheels and Shimano Di2. Brings a grin to my face every time, practically rides itself up the hills for me 😉

[@Barrelwell]

Nice bike, you using a compact crank, what about rear cassette ratio?

[@MikeCotty]

Certainly am! Big advocate of compact gearing. I had a 34 at the front and 25 at the rear. If it's particularly steep I'll opt for a 28.

[@snookerbg]

Another great video! Wonder what VAM this is?

[@TurkiyeCumhurbaskani]

amazing French government paved all these many mountains

[@aytacyariktas2389]

Fantastic job as always ! I will seriously consider the partners while buying any cycling related need since they have supported you to make all these wonderful videos. Is it possible to share the musics played in background in the videos ? Best,

[@TheColCollective]

Aytaç Yarıktaş Thank you so much for the support, it's truly appreciated! Without the help from our partners this would still just be an idea in my head so we really do have a lot to thank them for. For the music, we were looking at how to share a playlist, the problem we have is that most of it is not available commercially and we only have the rights to use it on our videos. Really sorry about that. Thank you again! Mike

[@aytacyariktas2389]

It is allright ! I will continue following the new videos. Thanks for kind answer of yours,

[@marcelsoens1239]

Aytaç Yarıktaş

[@VanHekTrading]

Nice video, thanks!! Will there be a Mortirolo video coming soon???

[@TheColCollective]

We're currently putting plans together for season two. If we're back in the area of the Mortirolo we will be filming it for sure just so my legs really scream!! :-)

[@netfischer]

Already asked in the comment section of an older video, but you probably missed it. Just out of interest since it´s my local mountain pass (well one of them, the most spectacular) , is the passo del rombo on your bucket list? Anyway, great videos - riding in alpine scenery is my favourite part of road biking together with racing- keep them coming! ;D

[@TheColCollective]

It's definitely on the bucket list! So many climbs we want to try and bring to life for everyone, just need to try and make it happen!! Thanks for your support and sorry we missed your question last time. Mike

[@billbalchin]

Great! If you are thinking about a cycling holiday in the Alps, stop thinking and get on and do it. The whole region is a cyclists paradise.

[@BanjoStu]

Awesome! Can't believe someone has clicked "dislike"!?!?! What's not to like about that video?

[@syamsulabdullah861]

Great as ever Mike ... btw what model of oakley u wearing ?

[@MikeCotty]

Hi Syamsul, they are the Radarlock with G30 lens. Absolutely love the tint on that lens, as you'll see from the videos I use it a lot. Makes even an overcast day look inspiring. Little eye tricks to keep the mind happy that's what I say! :-)

[@cadenza83]

Bro you should ditch that saddle , you are hardly using it, in that way you will save some weight ! Great vids , I enjoy them very much ! Keep up with a good work !

[@ercangulpnar2566]

😀👍

[@itsallspent]

As I watch your videos and follow along on Google Earth I am encouraged by the number of cyclists on the climbs. The terrain rivals the Rocky Mountains in the US

[@user-rc8eq9jq4f]

who makes your kit?

[@cl9k24la]

How about some videos of the California moutains

[@TheColCollective]

We're already dreaming of those mountains! Fingers crossed we get a chance to bring some of them to life in the future!

[@CharlyGaul1]

The Col Collective That ascent is fine but coming up from the south, through the green fields, then the trees and then that surprise visa of the moonscape that is Casse Desserte is greater by far. That said, the desent of the northside down into Briancon is one of the best in the world, especially the top 4-5km.

[@justenough2326]

Refuge Napoleon do a great omelette!