Tour de France'ta Alpe d'Huez Legend Grows: The Mountain's Two Faces Discovered for the First Time

Tour de France, the world's largest cycling race, is preparing to open a new page in cycling history with its 112. and 113. editions. Even though it seems there are no routes left for the race to pass through, the organizers have managed to create fresh excitement by redesigning the known courses. The biggest innovation this year is that the legendary Alpe d'Huez climb will be tackled on two consecutive days and from two different faces. This situation brings a scenario that will create unforgettable moments for both professional cyclists and millions of fans. Making a climb from two separate directions for the first time in Tour de France history stands out as a critical move that will determine the race's fate.

The legendary 21-turn climb route of Alpe d'Huez is considered the peak of Tour de France not only this year but every time it is visited. Officially 13,7 kilometers long with an average gradient of 8,1 percent, this challenging slope pushes the cyclists to their physical and mental limits. Each hairpin turn, adorned with signs bearing the names of past years' champions, reminds the climbing athletes of their titles. Having appeared on the route only 33 times in the men's Tour de France, this mountain also determined the winner of the Tour de France Femmes race in 2024. This season, the legendary climbing battle taking place over two consecutive days will create the opportunity to present the most beautiful and simultaneously the most ruthless faces of cycling to the spectators.

The 19. stage to be held on Friday will offer cycling fans a very familiar route starting from Gap and reaching Alpe d'Huez. In this stage, athletes will have to tackle early climbs like Col Bayard and Col du Noyer, as well as the Col d'Ornon pass. Cyclists, who must overcome a total climbing difference of 3.500 meters, will experience the intensity of the week on this classic route they will undertake. On the other hand, the 20. stage to be held on Saturday is described as 'uncharted terrain' by Tour Director Christian Prudhomme. Starting in Le Bourg d'Oisans and including giant mountains like Col du Galibier and Col de la Croix de Fer, this stage will subject athletes to a total elevation change of 5.450 meters.

Besides being a sports arena, Alpe d'Huez is primarily a major winter sports center located in the Isère region, whose development began in the 1920s. Hosting slopes reaching 250 kilometers and dozens of ski lifts when combined with surrounding ski resorts in the winter, the mountain transforms into a world-renowned cycling sanctuary during the summer months. Before the year 1952, when Tour de France races held their first summit finish on the mountain, the region made a name for itself internationally by hosting the Bobsleigh World Championships in 1951. Additionally, used for bobsleigh competitions in the 1968 Grenoble Winter Olympics, this region boasts a rich history in mountain sports and outdoor events.

During these critical mountain stages of the tour, local authorities and the organization committee had to come up with alternative transportation solutions by deciding to close traffic completely. To allow spectators to move around the mountain, cable cars and ski mechanisms in the area will be heavily operational during the last days of July. Spectators will be able to witness the stages from different points by using the Signal cable car from Villard-Reculas or smaller lifts departing from Auris-en-Oisans. In these mountain stages that pierce through history, even the spectators' journey to the summit promises an adventure as grand as the one experienced by professional athletes. All these logistical preparations aim to ensure security and to enable the legendary Alpe d'Huez climb to be celebrated flawlessly on a global scale.