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Wim van Est

Wim van Est

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Wim van Est

Name: Wim van Est
Rating: 2

Recommended by 8 road cyclists

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Location: Béost, Oloron-Sainte-Marie, New Aquitaine, France

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Best Road Cycling Rides to Wim van Est

5.0

(8)

342

riders

1. Col du Soulor – Col d'Aubisque loop from Arrens-Marsous

45.0km

03:12

1,650m

1,640m

Hard road ride. Very good fitness required. Mostly well-paved surfaces and easy to ride.

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Hard

5.0

(4)

216

riders

2. Col d'Aubisque – Col du Soulor loop from La Gare

55.0km

03:52

1,900m

Hard road ride. Very good fitness required. Mostly well-paved surfaces and easy to ride.

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Hard

4.9

(9)

318

riders

3. Col d'Aubisque – Col du Soulor loop from Arrens-Marsous

31.8km

02:15

1,150m

Hard road ride. Very good fitness required. Mostly well-paved surfaces and easy to ride.

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Hard

Tips

Mario

August 19, 2025

Wim van Est fell over the cliff here. They put a plaque on him, but there's no more room, so brake when you get here so the same thing doesn't happen to you! On July 17, 1951, during the Tour de France stage that covered the Col d'Aubisque, Dutch cyclist Wim van Est was wearing the yellow jersey, the highest distinction. He attacked on the descent, but slipped on a bend and fell into a 70-meter-deep ravine. Seeing that he was missing, his teammates and the team manager descended to search for him. It was then that a film crew spotted Van Est at the bottom of the ravine, and luckily, he was still alive.
To rescue him, firefighters descended with a rope, but when they reached it, Wim van Est refused to be pulled up that way. "Give me another bike," he said, to the surprise of everyone present. Finally, they had to pull him up using a human chain. Fortunately, he only suffered a few bruises and scrapes, but he still had to withdraw from the Tour. The accident wasn't in vain, as, with the support of his sponsors, Van Est created the most famous watch advertisement in cycling history: "My heart stopped, but my Pontiac kept going."

Translated by Google •

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Elevation 1,500 m

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Tuesday 18 November

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-3°C

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Max wind speed: 1.0 km/h

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Location: Béost, Oloron-Sainte-Marie, New Aquitaine, France

Other Popular Places to Check Out

Montée au col d'Aubisque depuis Argelès-Gazost par le col du Soulor

Col du Soulor

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Ascension du col d'Aubisque depuis Laruns

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Lac de Migouélou

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Vue sur le Lac d'Uzious

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Ascencion du col d'Aubisque

Wim van Est

1. Col du Soulor – Col d'Aubisque loop from Arrens-Marsous

2. Col d'Aubisque – Col du Soulor loop from La Gare

3. Col d'Aubisque – Col du Soulor loop from Arrens-Marsous

Other Popular Places to Check Out

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