Top 5 Pro Tour Climbs?
Comments
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Sonny73 wrote:What in your opinion are top the 5 pro tour mountain climbs, that everyone should ride given the chance and fitness level
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this is one of these questions where everyone will have hugely differing opinions for a variety of reasons but for me the top 5 climbs for prestige alone and that i would like to ride are in no particular order
Galibier
Tourmalet
Ventoux
Alpe d Huez
Stelvio
next level
Mortirolo
Angliru
Izoard
GaviaGasping - but somehow still alive !0 -
I,ve not done them all but in my opinion on the ones i have climbed, i would say........
Galibier
Madeline (the long side)
Alpe d'huez
Colombier
L'Izoard
next stop........tormelet, ventoux!0 -
More than 5 for me:
In Italy:
Zoncolan
Mortirolo
Gavia
Stelvio
Plan de Corones
Finestre
Lavaredo
In France:
Tourmalet
Galibier
Bonnette
Alpe
Ventoux
Puy de Dome
In Spain:
Lagos
Angliru (at the moment, this year Sierra Nevada by Monachil and Sabinas)If you like Flandes, Roubaix or Eroica, you would like GP Canal de Castilla, www.gpcanaldecastilla.com0 -
In no particular order
Alpe D'Huez
Tourmalet
Galibier
Mortirolo
Ventoux"In many ways, my story was that of a raging, Christ-like figure who hauled himself off the cross, looked up at the Romans with blood in his eyes and said 'My turn, sock cookers'"
@gietvangent0 -
Yeah impossible to name just 5?....the TDF is the daddy of races and has such historical climbs...you can even split them up in this race alone..
Cols.
Tourmalet
Aubisque
Galibier
these are the most famous ones...but considering...Glandon,Croix de Fer,Madeleine,Izoard etc?...impossible.
Mountain top finishes
Alpe De Huez
Luz Ardiden
Pla D'Adet
All have played there parts over the years in historical moments.
And thats just france?
Gavia's the most spectacular pass Ive ever ridden.
Stelvio
Mortirolo
Marmaloda
Tri Cime Laveredo and on and on...
L'Angliru...that was spectacular last year....and very scary!
Covadonga...
Suppose its impossible....so many0 -
Just remembered i forgot the col de glandon - nowt too steep but just went on and on.......0
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I'd agree with that list, especially in terms of prestige. These cols are where cycling legends are forged, i.e. Coppi, Merckx, Hinault, Lemond, Pantani, Armstrong et al.Moray Gub wrote:
this is one of these questions where everyone will have hugely differing opinions for a variety of reasons but for me the top 5 climbs for prestige alone and that i would like to ride are in no particular order
Galibier
Tourmalet
Ventoux
Alpe d Huez
Stelvio0 -
Top-5 hardest:
1. Zoncolan (Giro d'Italia)
2. Kitzbüheler Horn (Tour of Austria)
3. Angliru (Vuelta a Espana)
4. Plan de Corones (Giro d'Italia)
5. Col du Grand Colombier (Tour de l'Ain next week)
Top-5 mythical
1. Gavia
2. Muur van Geraardsbergen
3. Mont Ventoux
4. Alpe d'Huez
5. Madonna del Ghisallo0 -
andyp wrote:
I'd agree with that list, especially in terms of prestige. These cols are where cycling legends are forged, i.e. Coppi, Merckx, Hinault, Lemond, Pantani, Armstrong et al.Moray Gub wrote:
this is one of these questions where everyone will have hugely differing opinions for a variety of reasons but for me the top 5 climbs for prestige alone and that i would like to ride are in no particular order
Galibier
Tourmalet
Ventoux
Alpe d Huez
Stelvio
Jeez...I missed out the Ventoux on my list...and for me...thats the daddy of iconic climbs....yeah Id put that No.1...its unique.0 -
RICHYBOYcp wrote:andyp wrote:
I'd agree with that list, especially in terms of prestige. These cols are where cycling legends are forged, i.e. Coppi, Merckx, Hinault, Lemond, Pantani, Armstrong et al.Moray Gub wrote:
this is one of these questions where everyone will have hugely differing opinions for a variety of reasons but for me the top 5 climbs for prestige alone and that i would like to ride are in no particular order
Galibier
Tourmalet
Ventoux
Alpe d Huez
Stelvio
Jeez...I missed out the Ventoux on my list...and for me...thats the daddy of iconic climbs....yeah Id put that No.1...its unique.
Im envious Rich just out of curiosity just how many of these have you actually riden ? I suppose none compare to Carriden Brae though
Gasping - but somehow still alive !0 -
Moray Gub wrote:RICHYBOYcp wrote:andyp wrote:
I'd agree with that list, especially in terms of prestige. These cols are where cycling legends are forged, i.e. Coppi, Merckx, Hinault, Lemond, Pantani, Armstrong et al.Moray Gub wrote:
this is one of these questions where everyone will have hugely differing opinions for a variety of reasons but for me the top 5 climbs for prestige alone and that i would like to ride are in no particular order
Galibier
Tourmalet
Ventoux
Alpe d Huez
Stelvio
Jeez...I missed out the Ventoux on my list...and for me...thats the daddy of iconic climbs....yeah Id put that No.1...its unique.
Im envious Rich just out of curiosity just how many of these have you actually riden ? I suppose none compare to Carriden Brae though
Well Im a very lucky man Moray...Ive ridden them all over the years....some come close to Carriden Brae....but none come close to Kinscavel or Preston Road to Beecraigs 0 -
No-one rates Hautacam then?I have nothing more to say on the matter.0
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Woodchip wrote:No-one rates Hautacam then?
Of course...thats a brute aswell....but its only been used a few times...just like La Plagna, Val Thorens, Couchevel, Cauterets...so it doesnt make the same Mountain top finish icon in comparison to the Alpe etc...
Like I say....theres so many to choose from....some will say Bonnette, Vars, Aspin, Peyresourde, Mente etc..
And others will say what about Charly Gaul on Monte Bondone etc ....theres so many legendary places throughout 'mostly' France and Italy...but I do reckon that most climbs in the TDF will swamp any in the Giro due to the history of cycling....
Its very tough but I agree....
Ventoux,Tourmalet,Aubisque,Alpe De Huez,Galibier the most iconic of all....(even if I think the Gavia is equal if not better- the day the strong men cried)...and that the Stelvio is just awe inspiring and just so much more than many of the above?0 -
It's difficult to when it sits between (and is dwarfed by) the Aubisque and the Tourmalet. A number of these 'legendary' climbs become so because they're only ever used as stage finishes. Alpe d'Huez is another example, an easier and less scenic climb than Croix de Fer just down the road which is never a stage finish.Woodchip wrote:No-one rates Hautacam then?================================
Cake is just weakness entering the body0 -
We're looking to drive down to Chamonix area next year for a couple of weeks, so fancy a bit of Col bagging. Anyone familiar with the area? Any good and hopefully famous climbs near there?0
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The Col de Joux Plane, south of Morzine, is the only true legendary Tour de France climb in the area.dodgy wrote:We're looking to drive down to Chamonix area next year for a couple of weeks, so fancy a bit of Col bagging. Anyone familiar with the area? Any good and hopefully famous climbs near there?
Otherwise, the route of this year's Queen's stage over the Saisies, Romme and Colombiere is not too far. And in the other direction, Verbier and the Grand Saint Bernard.0 -
Moray Gub wrote:Sonny73 wrote:What in your opinion are top the 5 pro tour mountain climbs, that everyone should ride given the chance and fitness level ?
this is one of these questions where everyone will have hugely differing opinions for a variety of reasons but for me the top 5 climbs for prestige alone and that i would like to ride are in no particular order
Galibier
Tourmalet
Ventoux
Alpe d Huez
Stelvio
next level
Mortirolo
Angliru
Izoard
Gavia
I agree with Moray's top 5. There is always longer or steeper, but those are the daddies. Izoard and Aubisque are knocking on the door, but not quite there. If I had to choose one to ride tomorrow, it would be the Stelvio. For some reason the Galibier fills me with more trepidation than any of them.
The other one to mention is Puy de Dome.0 -
FJS wrote:
The Col de Joux Plane, south of Morzine, is the only true legendary Tour de France climb in the area.dodgy wrote:We're looking to drive down to Chamonix area next year for a couple of weeks, so fancy a bit of Col bagging. Anyone familiar with the area? Any good and hopefully famous climbs near there?
Otherwise, the route of this year's Queen's stage over the Saisies, Romme and Colombiere is not too far. And in the other direction, Verbier and the Grand Saint Bernard.
Cheers, we're staying in Verchaix and Joux Pane is indeed very close by 0 -
No particular order
Ventoux
Tourmalet
Stelvio
Galibier
Izoard
People will always go with the Alpe,& as special a place as it holds in my memories,
with hols based at Bourg,I don't think it cuts it with the five above.
Also,so many more still to ride,especially in the Dolomites (the Sella ring,as a circuit ride
is VERY hard to beat) you'll struggle to get a definitive list of 5
maybe if it were the top 20.......?so many cols,so little time!0 -
Having done the marmotte this year I would say alpe d'huez is harder than people think, it's relentlessly steep and only 5k shorter than the galibier.
Both the Glandon and the galibier are epic, incredible scenery, views etc, although the galibier is another level to the glandon in terms of difficulty.
Doing the tourmalet, aspin and aubisque next week 0 -
This is a good thread. The question is a tough one if you limit it to only 5, but if you're judging it on a combination of history, iconicness (is that a word?), beauty and difficulty then I'd go for the following:
Tourmalet - tough, scenic climb from both sides. Has history - the story of Eugene Christophe and the broken forks is a great one, got the memorial to Goddet at the top too.
Izoard - just stunning in terms of visual impact, the Casse Deserte is iconic in cycling terms and the eroded cliffs make for an incredible sight. Great history with Coppi, Bobet and Bartali duking it out on its slopes.
Alpe d'huez - I know it's the cycling equivalent of Buckingham Palace but it's still worth the visit. If you want a bit of encouragement from the locals and other cyclists as you struggle up its slopes and want to feel a part of cycling's heritage then head to the hairpins.
Ventoux - not ridden it myself, but you'll have seen the comments above. History, three different ways up and a variety of extreme weather at the top -sounds great!
Stelvio - I struggled with this one given that it was the last of 5, could've also included Gavia and Mortirolo all in the same area. Magnificent feat of engineering, Coppi's playground, Basso's graveyard, as mentioned by Richyboy above, the TdeF's dominance in the modern day means that the French climbs are perhaps better known now but some of the Italian climbs are even tougher and more beautiful and for the real cycling cognoscenti present a greater attraction.
Anyway, I'll stop waffling. i could go on for hours about this. If you want other classic climbs for your list I'd say (in no particular order)
galibier
puy de dome (though may not be pro tour now)
aubisque (first tour climb ever, I think)
iseran
bonette
Of the newer ones vying for celebrity then you could try
Plateau de Beille
Hautacam
Luz Ardiden
plan de corones
angliru
arcalis0 -
FJS wrote:Top-5 hardest:
1. Zoncolan (Giro d'Italia)
2. Kitzbüheler Horn (Tour of Austria)
3. Angliru (Vuelta a Espana)
4. Plan de Corones (Giro d'Italia)
5. Col du Grand Colombier (Tour de l'Ain next week)
Top-5 mythical
1. Gavia
2. Muur van Geraardsbergen
3. Mont Ventoux
4. Alpe d'Huez
5. Madonna del Ghisallo
The Muur is a great shout. I'd trade your Madonna del Ghisallo for a Stelvio and that'd be my top 5.It's a little like wrestling a gorilla. You don't quit when you're tired. You quit when the gorilla is tired.0 -
FJS wrote:Top-5 hardest:
1. Zoncolan (Giro d'Italia)
2. Kitzbüheler Horn (Tour of Austria)
3. Angliru (Vuelta a Espana)
4. Plan de Corones (Giro d'Italia)
5. Col du Grand Colombier (Tour de l'Ain next week)
Top-5 mythical
1. Gavia
2. Muur van Geraardsbergen
3. Mont Ventoux
4. Alpe d'Huez
5. Madonna del Ghisallo
Interesting reply this one , not sure about the Tourmalet and Galibier being outmythicaled by the Mur or Madonna Del Ghisallo. As much as those great climbs are a part of the folklore they dont compare with the TDF giants for me. Now if we started a thread about one day classic classic climbs ..............Gasping - but somehow still alive !0 -
Zoncolan. Nothing in the TDF comes even remotely close. Both sides are brutal.
Three sections of 19% and over! FIVE sections of 17% and over! And SIX sections of 14% and over!
And the other side has TWO 20+% sections!
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Well, the Zoncolan is the steepest I've ridden from the list. Different league, it's so steep for so long. For me only Hardknott/Wrynose come close, and they are relatively short.
But it's not as legendary as the Galibier. For the criteria, I think only the Stelvio can join the mythical Tour climbs, with the Gavia close.
Think some of the Giro climbs go a little OTT to become classic battlegrounds.0 -
I'd have to go with the following:
Alpe d'Huez
Galibier
Tourmalet
Stelvio
Angliru
Closely followed by the Ventoux, Zoncolan and the Mortirolo.
Have to give and honorable mention to the Col des Aravis, it was my first Col climbed and a nice starter for first timers, 18k long mind you
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It’s impossible to arrive at just 5 climbs.
- The Ballon d’Alsace was the first mountain climb introduced into the TdF, and significant in deciding some later winners
- While Galibier was once always the marker of difficulty; AdH came later. But AdH did come later, and how!
- Restefond-Bonette is the highest. But doesn’t have any many bends as Stelvio, south side
- Izouard looks so different, but Pailhere is prettier
- Madeleine was my first thrill ... but Joux-Plane remains the one which exhausted me
- Aravis is dramatic … but Klausen’s west side is more so
- And then comes Gardena and Rolle in Italy for more operatic drama
- But the north side of the Gross-Glockner beats them all for mixture of difficulty and picturesque.
(Sorry, north descent of Croix de Fer, Bieler Höhe, and south side of Hahntennjoch, you all just missed being mentioned)0
