L’Alpe d’Huez is a ski resort at 1,250 to 3,330 meters (4,100 to 10,930 ft) in the Central French Western Alps, in the commune of Huez. The maximum elevation of the legendary climb is 1,815 meters (5,955 feet). The climb is used regularly in the Tour de France, including twice on the same day in 2013. Despite it is certainly not the toughest climb in the French Alps and in Europe, it is one of the most iconic climbs of the Tour de France. Here are the top 200 fastest climbs on the Alpe d’Huez.

All-time fastest climbs on the Alpe d’Huez

In reversed order (fastest in the end)

# | Cyclist | Time (min:sec) | Year

  1. Santiago Botero | 42:11 | 2004
  2. Laurent Fignon | 42:10 | 1987
  3. Simon Yates | 42:10 | 2015
  4. Pedro Delgado | 42:09 | 1987
  5. Laurent Fignon | 42:09 | 1989
  6. Pedro Delgado | 42:09 | 1989
  7. Andy Schleck | 42:09 | 2011
  8. Frank Schleck | 42:09 | 2011
  9. Damiano Cunego | 42:09 | 2011
  10. Thomas De Gendt | 42:09 | 2011
  11. Cadel Evans | 42:09 | 2011
  12. Peter Velits | 42:09 | 2011
  13. Roman Kreuziger | 42:08 | 2013
  14. Roberto Laiseka | 42:07 | 2001
  15. Igor G. de Galdeano | 42:07 | 2001
  16. Francisco Mancebo | 42:05 | 2001
  17. Oscar Sevilla | 42:05 | 2004
  18. Sylvain Chavanel | 42:04 | 2006
  19. Kevin Livingston | 42:03 | 1997
  20. Pierre Rolland | 42:03 | 2011
  21. Nairo Quintana | 42:03 | 2018
  22. Ruben Lobato | 42:00 | 2006
  23. Kim Kirchen | 41:59 | 2004
  24. Marzio Bruseghin | 41:58 | 2004
  25. Ryder Hesjedal | 41:58 | 2015
  26. Jakob Fuglsang | 41:58 | 2018
  27. Marius Sabaliauskas | 41:57 | 2004
  28. Richard Virenque | 41:57 | 2004
  29. Michael Boogerd | 41:57 | 2006
  30. Yaroslav Popovych | 41:57 | 2006
  31. Giuseppe Guerini | 41:56 | 1999
  32. Stefano Garzelli | 41:56 | 2006
  33. Wout Poels | 41:54 | 2015
  34. Tom Pidcock | 41:54 | 2022
  35. Yuriy Krivtsov | 41:53 | 2004
  36. Alberto Contador | 41:52 | 2013
  37. Jakob Fuglsang | 41:52 | 2013
  38. Mikel Nieve | 41:52 | 2013
  39. Pierrick Fedrigo | 41:49 | 2004
  40. Laudelino Cubino | 41:48 | 1995
  41. Laurent Dufaux | 41:48 | 1995
  42. Anthony Charteau | 41:48 | 2004
  43. Bernhard Kohl | 41:47 | 2008
  44. Christian Vandevelde | 41:47 | 2008
  45. Denis Menchov | 41:47 | 2008
  46. Cadel Evans | 41:47 | 2008
  47. Vladimir Efimkin | 41:47 | 2008
  48. Frank Schleck | 41:45 | 2008
  49. Alejandro Valverde | 41:45 | 2008
  50. Luis Herrera | 41:44 | 1987
  51. Benjamin Noval | 41:44 | 2004
  52. Alvaro Mejia | 41:43 | 1991
  53. Laurent Fignon | 41:42 | 1991
  54. Levi Leipheimer | 41:42 | 2004
  55. Santiago Perez | 41:41 | 2004
  56. David Etxebarria | 41:39 | 2004
  57. Laurent Brochard | 41:38 | 2004
  58. Thierry Claveyrolat | 41:37 | 1991
  59. Steven Rooks | 41:37 | 1991
  60. Ludovic Martin | 41:37 | 2004
  61. Andy Schleck | 41:35 | 2008
  62. Samuel Sanchez | 41:35 | 2008
  63. Alberto Contador | 41:35 | 2011
  64. Vincenzo Nibali | 41:29 | 2018
  65. Primoz Roglic | 41:29 | 2018
  66. Pietro Caucchioli | 41:27 | 2004
  67. Samuel Sanchez | 41:26 | 2011
  68. Pascal Herve | 41:25 | 1994
  69. Javier P. Rodriguez | 41:25 | 1997
  70. Oscar Camenzind | 41:25 | 1997
  71. Michele Scarponi | 41:23 | 2004
  72. Mikel Landa | 41:23 | 2018
  73. Thomas Davy | 41:21 | 1994
  74. Gerd Audehm | 41:21 | 1994
  75. Bjarne Riis | 41:21 | 1994
  76. Bobby Julich | 41:21 | 1997
  77. Peter Luttenberger | 41:21 | 1997
  78. Jose Maria Jimenez | 41:21 | 1997
  79. Jean-Cyril Robin | 41:21 | 1997
  80. Patrick Jonker | 41:21 | 1997
  81. Roberto Laiseka | 41:21 | 2003
  82. Ivan Basso | 41:21 | 2003
  83. Tyler Hamilton | 41:21 | 2003
  84. Joseba Beloki | 41:21 | 2003
  85. Haimar Zubeldia | 41:21 | 2003
  86. Francisco Mancebo | 41:21 | 2003
  87. Lance Armstrong | 41:21 | 2003
  88. Chris Froome | 41:20 | 2018
  89. Davide Rebellin | 41:19 | 1997
  90. Romain Bardet | 41:19 | 2018
  91. Tom Dumoulin | 41:18 | 2018
  92. Thibaut Pinot | 41:17 | 2015
  93. Geraint Thomas | 41:16 | 2018
  94. Richie Porte | 41:15 | 2015
  95. Pedro Delgado | 41:15 | 1991
  96. Tadej Valjavec | 41:14 | 2006
  97. Christophe Moreau | 41:14 | 2006
  98. Claudio Chiappucci | 41:13 | 1991
  99. Sylvain Chavanel | 41:13 | 2004
  100. Axel Merckx | 41:13 | 2004
  101. Fernando Escartin | 41:08 | 1997
  102. Francisco Mancebo | 41:08 | 2004
  103. Jean-Francois Bernard | 41:05 | 1991
  104. Gilberto Simoni | 41:03 | 2004
  105. Christophe Moreau | 41:00 | 2004
  106. Alejandro Valverde | 40:59 | 2013
  107. Oscar Sevilla | 40:58 | 2001
  108. Juan Miguel Mercado | 40:57 | 2004
  109. Mikel Astarloza | 40:57 | 2004
  110. Damiano Cunego | 40:57 | 2006
  111. Floyd Landis | 40:56 | 2004
  112. Chris Froome | 40:55 | 2013
  113. Richie Porte | 40:55 | 2013
  114. Alexandre Vinokourov | 40:54 | 2003
  115. Johan Bruyneel | 40:52 | 1995
  116. Gilberto Simoni | 40:50 | 2006
  117. Sandy Casar | 40:49 | 2004
  118. Fränk Schleck | 40:46 | 2006
  119. Georg Totschnig | 40:45 | 2004
  120. Armand de las Cuevas | 40:43 | 1994
  121. Fernando Escartin | 40:43 | 1994
  122. Pascal Lino | 40:43 | 1994
  123. Oscar Pellicioli | 40:43 | 1994
  124. Chris Froome | 40:42 | 2015
  125. Alejandro Valverde | 40:42 | 2015
  126. Manuel Beltran | 40:40 | 1997
  127. Jose Enrique Gutierrez | 40:40 | 2004
  128. Ivan Gotti | 40:34 | 1995
  129. Richard Virenque | 40:34 | 1995
  130. Christophe Moreau | 40:34 | 2001
  131. Mikel Astarloza | 40:33 | 2006
  132. Luc Leblanc | 40:32 | 1991
  133. Oscar Pereiro | 40:32 | 2004
  134. Miguel Indurain | 40:31 | 1991
  135. Gianni Bugno | 40:30 | 1991
  136. Haimar Zubeldia | 40:30 | 2006
  137. Cyril Dessel | 40:30 | 2006
  138. Marcos Serrano | 40:27 | 2004
  139. Orlando Rodrigues | 40:24 | 1997
  140. Roberto Conti | 40:20 | 1994
  141. Abraham Olano | 40:19 | 1997
  142. Marco Fincato | 40:16 | 1997
  143. Laurent Jalabert | 40:16 | 1997
  144. Ivan Parra | 40:15 | 2006
  145. Cadel Evans | 40:15 | 2006
  146. Michael Rogers | 40:15 | 2006
  147. Oscar Pereiro | 40:15 | 2006
  148. Joseba Beloki | 40:13 | 2001
  149. Laurent Jalabert | 40:10 | 1995
  150. Michael Rogers | 40:07 | 2004
  151. Jan Ullrich | 40:03 | 2001
  152. Alex Zülle | 40:01 | 1994
  153. Piotr Ugrumov | 40:01 | 1994
  154. Pavel Tonkov | 40:01 | 1995
  155. Tony Rominger | 39:58 | 1995
  156. Stephane Goubert | 39:58 | 2004
  157. Ivan Basso | 39:58 | 2004
  158. Carlos Sastre | 39:57 | 2004
  159. David Moncoutie | 39:56 | 2004
  160. Laurent Madouas | 39:53 | 1997
  161. Roberto Conti | 39:53 | 1997
  162. Udo Bölts | 39:53 | 1997
  163. Beat Zberg | 39:53 | 1997
  164. Paolo Lanfranchi | 39:52 | 1995
  165. Claudio Chiappucci | 39:52 | 1995
  166. Joaquim Rodriguez | 39:52 | 2013
  167. Nairo Quintana | 39:49 | 2013
  168. Pietro Caucchioli | 39:47 | 2006
  169. Michael Rasmussen | 39:47 | 2006
  170. Denis Menchov | 39:47 | 2006
  171. Fernando Escartin | 39:45 | 1995
  172. Vladimir Karpets | 39:41 | 2004
  173. Santos Gonzalez | 39:41 | 2004
  174. Giuseppe Guerini | 39:40 | 2004
  175. Vladimir Poulnikov | 39:37 | 1994
  176. Carlos Sastre | 39:32 | 2008
  177. Luc Leblanc | 39:30 | 1994
  178. Miguel Indurain | 39:30 | 1994
  179. Bjarne Riis | 39:22 | 1997
  180. Nairo Quintana | 39:22 | 2015
  181. Francesco Casagrande | 39:21 | 1997
  182. Levi Leipheimer | 39:15 | 2006
  183. Jose Azevedo | 39:14 | 2004
  184. Andreas Klöden | 39:12 | 2004
  185. Sep Kuss | 39:12 | 2022
  186. Enric Mas | 39:12 | 2022
  187. Geraint Thomas | 39:12 | 2022
  188. Jonas Vingegaard | 39:12 | 2022
  189. Tadej Pogačar | 39:12 | 2022
  190. Iban Mayo | 39:09 | 2003
  191. Carlos Sastre | 39:01 | 2006
  192. Richard Virenque | 38:55 | 1994
  193. Laurent Madouas | 38:44 | 1995
  194. Jan Ullrich | 38:44 | 2004
  195. Andreas Klöden | 38:36 | 2006
  196. Floyd Landis | 38:36 | 2006
  197. Richard Virenque | 38:21 | 1997
  198. Bjarne Riis | 38:16 | 1995
  199. Alex Zülle | 38:14 | 1995
  200. Miguel Indurain | 38:14 | 1995
  201. Lance Armstrong | 38:04 | 2001
  202. Jan Ullrich | 37:41 | 1997
  203. Lance Armstrong | 37:36 | 2004
  204. Marco Pantani | 37:15 | 1994
  205. Marco Pantani | 36:54 | 1997
  206. Marco Pantani | 36:50 | 1995

Notes:

  • These results are from the Tour de France. For example, Alberto Contador holds one of the fastest times of the climb with 37′ 30″, achieved during the 2010 Critérium du Dauphiné. It was not included in the list above.
  • The 2004 stage was an individual time trial.
  • Winning the stage atop Alpe d’Huez does not mean you are the fastest rider on the climb on that particular stage. For example, Thibaut Pinot won in 2015 but his time was 41:17. Nairo Quintana was the fastest on the climb that day with a climbing time of 39:22.

Alpe d’Huez in the Tour de France

Alpe d'Huez, Fausto Coppi
Fausto Coppi climbing up to Alpe d’Huez, 1952. “Il campionissimo” was the first rider who conquered Alpe d’Huez, in history.

The legendary Alpe d’Huez was first introduced in the Tour de France in 1952. It was also the first mountaintop finish in Tour de France history. Fausto Coppi, “il campionissimo” won that first stage.

Coppi attacked 6 kilometers (3.7 miles) from the summit to rid himself of the French rider Jean Robic. He turned the Alpe into an instant legend because this was the year that motorcycle television crews first came to the Tour. The veteran reporter, Jacques Augendre, said:

“The Tourmalet, the Galibier, and the Izoard were the mythical mountains of the race. These three cols were supplanted by the Alpe d’Huez. Why? Because it’s the col of modernity. Coppi’s victory in 1952 was the symbol of a golden age of cycling, that of champions [such as] [Fausto] Coppi, [Gino] Bartali, [Ferdinand] Kübler, [Hugo] Koblet, [Louison] Bobet.”

But only Coppi and Armstrong and Carlos Sastre have been able to take the maillot jaune on the Alpe and to keep it to Paris. That’s not by chance. From the first edition, shown on live television, the Alpe d’Huez definitively transformed the way the Grande Boucle ran. No other stage has had such drama. With its 21 bends, its gradient and the number of spectators, it is a climb in the style of Hollywood.”

Fausto Coppi wins the first Alpe d’Huez stage at the 1952 Tour de France

Hairpins

Alpe d’Huez has a total of 21 hairpin bends. All these hairpin bends are named after the winners of stages. In 2001, Lance Armstrong was the 22nd winner, so the naming was restarted at the bottom with Lance Armstrong’s name added to Fausto Coppi’s.

Names on the hairpins are (Alpe d’Huez stage winners):

  1. Fausto Coppi (1952), Lance Armstrong (2001)
  2. Joop Zoetemelk (1976), Iban Mayo (2003)
  3. Hennie Kuiper (1977), Lance Armstrong (2004)
  4. Hennie Kuiper (1978), Frank Schleck (2006)
  5. Joachim Agostinho (1979), Carlos Sastre (2008)
  6. Joop Zoetemelk (1979), Pierre Rolland (2011)
  7. Peter Winnen (1981), Christophe Riblon (2013)
  8. Beat Breu (1982), Thibaut Pinot (2015)
  9. Peter Winnen (1983), Geraint Thomas (2018)
  10. Luis Herrera (1984), Tom Pidcock (2022)
  11. Bernard Hinault (1986)
  12. Federico Echave (1987)
  13. Steven Rooks (1988)
  14. Gert-Jan Theunisse (1989)
  15. Gianni Bugno (1990)
  16. Gianni Bugno (1991)
  17. Andrew Hampsten (1992)
  18. Roberto Conti (1994)
  19. Marco Pantani (1995)
  20. Marco Pantani (1997)
  21. Giuseppe Guerini (1999)

The Dutch Mountain

Alpe d’Huez has been nicknamed the “Dutch Mountain” since Dutchmen won eight of the first 14 finishes atop Alpe d’Huez in the Tour De France.

Alpe d'Huez
The famous “Dutch Corner” on Alpe d’Huez climb.
Alpe d'Huez climb profile
Alpe d’Huez climb profile. The climb is 13.2 km long. You gain 1071 meters in total, so the average gradient is 8.1%. According to the Climb by bike website, the climb is ranked 808 in the world. The maximum slope is 13%.

Sources

M. Özgür Nevres

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