Colle Sestriere
mountain pass in Italy
Colle Sestriere, Col de Sestriere, is a mountain pass in the Cottian Alps. It is occupied by the town of Sestriere in the Province of Turin, Italy. It is 17 km (11 mi) from the French border. Its name derives from Latin: ad petram sistrariam, that is at sixty Roman miles from Turin.
It is a famous starting and arrival point in the Tour de France (7 appearances, 1952–1999) and the Giro d'Italia (4 appearances, 1991–1911). In 1952, Fausto Coppi was the first to record a stage win at Sestriere, while Charly Gaul is credited with the first crossing in 1956. Notably, it was the scene of a definitive moment in Lance Armstrong's career when he rode away from the field in a breakaway uphill finish to take the stage in the 1999 Tour de France, which was the first of his seven championships in that race. He has since been stripped of the titles.
Begin with the source’s own compact description: “Colle Sestriere” is mountain pass in Italy. The dossier treats that line as a proposition to test through Colle, Sestriere and mountain, not as a finished interpretation.
Why this record matters
The phrase “mountain pass in Italy” supplies a clear boundary for inquiry. It also exposes the unanswered questions: who defined that boundary, when it became stable and which sources sit outside it.
Place names and jurisdictional language are key evidence: both can reveal earlier catalogue descriptions and overlooked record series. The source revision retrieved here is dated Sep 1, 2026. The linked authority identifier is Q2685264. Authority coordinates are 44.957, 6.879. 1 of 1 selected statements include explicit references; 0 carry qualifiers and 0 use preferred rank. The first chronological checks are 1952, 1999, 1991 and 1911.
Modern boundaries and familiar names can conceal earlier jurisdictions or structures that do not align with the present site. The lead is largely declarative, so disagreement and counter-evidence require a deliberate search beyond the opening account. Authority statements aid reconciliation but still require their own references, qualifiers and ranks to be checked.
How to read it
Treat names, boundaries and functions as historically changeable. Maps, plans, inventories and administrative records can clarify what the place meant at different dates.
- Historic place names
- Jurisdictional context
- Routes into maps and plans
Contemporary maps, plans, listed-building records, estate papers and the responsible local or national archive.
Three-step research path
- Establish the record: confirm the title “Colle Sestriere”, its source revision and the description used here.
- Expand the search: follow Colle Sestriere primary sources, Colle Sestriere archive and Colle research across catalogues and specialist indexes.
- Test the account: compare the strongest cited source with the responsible institution’s current record and note any disagreement.
Questions for further research
- Which source most directly establishes the central claim about “Colle Sestriere”?
- What physical evidence or contemporary plan supports the description?
- Which authority defined the place, boundary or structure at the relevant date?
Search terms from this dossier
This entry incorporates text from “Colle Sestriere” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.