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
- Santiago Botero | 42:11 | 2004
- Laurent Fignon | 42:10 | 1987
- Simon Yates | 42:10 | 2015
- Pedro Delgado | 42:09 | 1987
- Laurent Fignon | 42:09 | 1989
- Pedro Delgado | 42:09 | 1989
- Andy Schleck | 42:09 | 2011
- Frank Schleck | 42:09 | 2011
- Damiano Cunego | 42:09 | 2011
- Thomas De Gendt | 42:09 | 2011
- Cadel Evans | 42:09 | 2011
- Peter Velits | 42:09 | 2011
- Roman Kreuziger | 42:08 | 2013
- Roberto Laiseka | 42:07 | 2001
- Igor G. de Galdeano | 42:07 | 2001
- Francisco Mancebo | 42:05 | 2001
- Oscar Sevilla | 42:05 | 2004
- Sylvain Chavanel | 42:04 | 2006
- Kevin Livingston | 42:03 | 1997
- Pierre Rolland | 42:03 | 2011
- Nairo Quintana | 42:03 | 2018
- Ruben Lobato | 42:00 | 2006
- Kim Kirchen | 41:59 | 2004
- Marzio Bruseghin | 41:58 | 2004
- Ryder Hesjedal | 41:58 | 2015
- Jakob Fuglsang | 41:58 | 2018
- Marius Sabaliauskas | 41:57 | 2004
- Richard Virenque | 41:57 | 2004
- Michael Boogerd | 41:57 | 2006
- Yaroslav Popovych | 41:57 | 2006
- Giuseppe Guerini | 41:56 | 1999
- Stefano Garzelli | 41:56 | 2006
- Wout Poels | 41:54 | 2015
- Tom Pidcock | 41:54 | 2022
- Yuriy Krivtsov | 41:53 | 2004
- Alberto Contador | 41:52 | 2013
- Jakob Fuglsang | 41:52 | 2013
- Mikel Nieve | 41:52 | 2013
- Pierrick Fedrigo | 41:49 | 2004
- Laudelino Cubino | 41:48 | 1995
- Laurent Dufaux | 41:48 | 1995
- Anthony Charteau | 41:48 | 2004
- Bernhard Kohl | 41:47 | 2008
- Christian Vandevelde | 41:47 | 2008
- Denis Menchov | 41:47 | 2008
- Cadel Evans | 41:47 | 2008
- Vladimir Efimkin | 41:47 | 2008
- Frank Schleck | 41:45 | 2008
- Alejandro Valverde | 41:45 | 2008
- Luis Herrera | 41:44 | 1987
- Benjamin Noval | 41:44 | 2004
- Alvaro Mejia | 41:43 | 1991
- Laurent Fignon | 41:42 | 1991
- Levi Leipheimer | 41:42 | 2004
- Santiago Perez | 41:41 | 2004
- David Etxebarria | 41:39 | 2004
- Laurent Brochard | 41:38 | 2004
- Thierry Claveyrolat | 41:37 | 1991
- Steven Rooks | 41:37 | 1991
- Ludovic Martin | 41:37 | 2004
- Andy Schleck | 41:35 | 2008
- Samuel Sanchez | 41:35 | 2008
- Alberto Contador | 41:35 | 2011
- Vincenzo Nibali | 41:29 | 2018
- Primoz Roglic | 41:29 | 2018
- Pietro Caucchioli | 41:27 | 2004
- Samuel Sanchez | 41:26 | 2011
- Pascal Herve | 41:25 | 1994
- Javier P. Rodriguez | 41:25 | 1997
- Oscar Camenzind | 41:25 | 1997
- Michele Scarponi | 41:23 | 2004
- Mikel Landa | 41:23 | 2018
- Thomas Davy | 41:21 | 1994
- Gerd Audehm | 41:21 | 1994
- Bjarne Riis | 41:21 | 1994
- Bobby Julich | 41:21 | 1997
- Peter Luttenberger | 41:21 | 1997
- Jose Maria Jimenez | 41:21 | 1997
- Jean-Cyril Robin | 41:21 | 1997
- Patrick Jonker | 41:21 | 1997
- Roberto Laiseka | 41:21 | 2003
- Ivan Basso | 41:21 | 2003
- Tyler Hamilton | 41:21 | 2003
- Joseba Beloki | 41:21 | 2003
- Haimar Zubeldia | 41:21 | 2003
- Francisco Mancebo | 41:21 | 2003
- Lance Armstrong | 41:21 | 2003
- Chris Froome | 41:20 | 2018
- Davide Rebellin | 41:19 | 1997
- Romain Bardet | 41:19 | 2018
- Tom Dumoulin | 41:18 | 2018
- Thibaut Pinot | 41:17 | 2015
- Geraint Thomas | 41:16 | 2018
- Richie Porte | 41:15 | 2015
- Pedro Delgado | 41:15 | 1991
- Tadej Valjavec | 41:14 | 2006
- Christophe Moreau | 41:14 | 2006
- Claudio Chiappucci | 41:13 | 1991
- Sylvain Chavanel | 41:13 | 2004
- Axel Merckx | 41:13 | 2004
- Fernando Escartin | 41:08 | 1997
- Francisco Mancebo | 41:08 | 2004
- Jean-Francois Bernard | 41:05 | 1991
- Gilberto Simoni | 41:03 | 2004
- Christophe Moreau | 41:00 | 2004
- Alejandro Valverde | 40:59 | 2013
- Oscar Sevilla | 40:58 | 2001
- Juan Miguel Mercado | 40:57 | 2004
- Mikel Astarloza | 40:57 | 2004
- Damiano Cunego | 40:57 | 2006
- Floyd Landis | 40:56 | 2004
- Chris Froome | 40:55 | 2013
- Richie Porte | 40:55 | 2013
- Alexandre Vinokourov | 40:54 | 2003
- Johan Bruyneel | 40:52 | 1995
- Gilberto Simoni | 40:50 | 2006
- Sandy Casar | 40:49 | 2004
- Fränk Schleck | 40:46 | 2006
- Georg Totschnig | 40:45 | 2004
- Armand de las Cuevas | 40:43 | 1994
- Fernando Escartin | 40:43 | 1994
- Pascal Lino | 40:43 | 1994
- Oscar Pellicioli | 40:43 | 1994
- Chris Froome | 40:42 | 2015
- Alejandro Valverde | 40:42 | 2015
- Manuel Beltran | 40:40 | 1997
- Jose Enrique Gutierrez | 40:40 | 2004
- Ivan Gotti | 40:34 | 1995
- Richard Virenque | 40:34 | 1995
- Christophe Moreau | 40:34 | 2001
- Mikel Astarloza | 40:33 | 2006
- Luc Leblanc | 40:32 | 1991
- Oscar Pereiro | 40:32 | 2004
- Miguel Indurain | 40:31 | 1991
- Gianni Bugno | 40:30 | 1991
- Haimar Zubeldia | 40:30 | 2006
- Cyril Dessel | 40:30 | 2006
- Marcos Serrano | 40:27 | 2004
- Orlando Rodrigues | 40:24 | 1997
- Roberto Conti | 40:20 | 1994
- Abraham Olano | 40:19 | 1997
- Marco Fincato | 40:16 | 1997
- Laurent Jalabert | 40:16 | 1997
- Ivan Parra | 40:15 | 2006
- Cadel Evans | 40:15 | 2006
- Michael Rogers | 40:15 | 2006
- Oscar Pereiro | 40:15 | 2006
- Joseba Beloki | 40:13 | 2001
- Laurent Jalabert | 40:10 | 1995
- Michael Rogers | 40:07 | 2004
- Jan Ullrich | 40:03 | 2001
- Alex Zülle | 40:01 | 1994
- Piotr Ugrumov | 40:01 | 1994
- Pavel Tonkov | 40:01 | 1995
- Tony Rominger | 39:58 | 1995
- Stephane Goubert | 39:58 | 2004
- Ivan Basso | 39:58 | 2004
- Carlos Sastre | 39:57 | 2004
- David Moncoutie | 39:56 | 2004
- Laurent Madouas | 39:53 | 1997
- Roberto Conti | 39:53 | 1997
- Udo Bölts | 39:53 | 1997
- Beat Zberg | 39:53 | 1997
- Paolo Lanfranchi | 39:52 | 1995
- Claudio Chiappucci | 39:52 | 1995
- Joaquim Rodriguez | 39:52 | 2013
- Nairo Quintana | 39:49 | 2013
- Pietro Caucchioli | 39:47 | 2006
- Michael Rasmussen | 39:47 | 2006
- Denis Menchov | 39:47 | 2006
- Fernando Escartin | 39:45 | 1995
- Vladimir Karpets | 39:41 | 2004
- Santos Gonzalez | 39:41 | 2004
- Giuseppe Guerini | 39:40 | 2004
- Vladimir Poulnikov | 39:37 | 1994
- Carlos Sastre | 39:32 | 2008
- Luc Leblanc | 39:30 | 1994
- Miguel Indurain | 39:30 | 1994
- Bjarne Riis | 39:22 | 1997
- Nairo Quintana | 39:22 | 2015
- Francesco Casagrande | 39:21 | 1997
- Levi Leipheimer | 39:15 | 2006
- Jose Azevedo | 39:14 | 2004
- Andreas Klöden | 39:12 | 2004
- Sep Kuss | 39:12 | 2022
- Enric Mas | 39:12 | 2022
- Geraint Thomas | 39:12 | 2022
- Jonas Vingegaard | 39:12 | 2022
- Tadej Pogačar | 39:12 | 2022
- Iban Mayo | 39:09 | 2003
- Carlos Sastre | 39:01 | 2006
- Richard Virenque | 38:55 | 1994
- Laurent Madouas | 38:44 | 1995
- Jan Ullrich | 38:44 | 2004
- Andreas Klöden | 38:36 | 2006
- Floyd Landis | 38:36 | 2006
- Richard Virenque | 38:21 | 1997
- Bjarne Riis | 38:16 | 1995
- Alex Zülle | 38:14 | 1995
- Miguel Indurain | 38:14 | 1995
- Lance Armstrong | 38:04 | 2001
- Jan Ullrich | 37:41 | 1997
- Lance Armstrong | 37:36 | 2004
- Marco Pantani | 37:15 | 1994
- Marco Pantani | 36:54 | 1997
- 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
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.”
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):
- Fausto Coppi (1952), Lance Armstrong (2001)
- Joop Zoetemelk (1976), Iban Mayo (2003)
- Hennie Kuiper (1977), Lance Armstrong (2004)
- Hennie Kuiper (1978), Frank Schleck (2006)
- Joachim Agostinho (1979), Carlos Sastre (2008)
- Joop Zoetemelk (1979), Pierre Rolland (2011)
- Peter Winnen (1981), Christophe Riblon (2013)
- Beat Breu (1982), Thibaut Pinot (2015)
- Peter Winnen (1983), Geraint Thomas (2018)
- Luis Herrera (1984), Tom Pidcock (2022)
- Bernard Hinault (1986)
- Federico Echave (1987)
- Steven Rooks (1988)
- Gert-Jan Theunisse (1989)
- Gianni Bugno (1990)
- Gianni Bugno (1991)
- Andrew Hampsten (1992)
- Roberto Conti (1994)
- Marco Pantani (1995)
- Marco Pantani (1997)
- 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.
Sources
- Alpe d’Huez on Wikipedia
- Alpe d’Huez climb details on Climb By Bike website
- What is a domestique in cycling? [Explained] - October 6, 2024
- What is a Satellite Rider? [Explained] - July 24, 2024
- Tour de France Winner Groupsets [Year by Year, from 1937 to 2024] - July 21, 2024
