What are the most iconic climbs in Europe?

CoutinhoRed

To the avid cyclist, if you were to suggest a few climbs they must do before they die, what would you suggest?

I know Mont Ventoux and Alp D'Huez are two obvious choices, but what about angrilu? Looks pretty nasty!

Any decent climbs in southern England even? (not Surrey - done most of their climbs).

markhewitt1978

What about the Bealach na Ba, the pass to Applecross?

marcusjb

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Mountain-High-E ... 344&sr=1-1

This book's a cracker for ogling at hill-porn.

markhewitt1978

Also: http://www.amazon.co.uk/100-Greatest-Cy ... 0711231206

ugo.santalucia

The most iconic are those linked to the Tour de France and the Giro d'Italia, so Alps and Pyrenees

I would add to those you mentioned: Tourmalet, Aubisque, Puy de Dome, Galibier and Izoard for the Tour de France and

Mortirolo, Stelvio and Gavia for the Giro d'Italia

imposter2.0

Koppenberg

ugo.santalucia

Imposter wrote:

Koppenberg

In a way... hardly a climb... a steep bump of stones... I would say the Muur at Geraardsbergen is THE iconic "climb" of the Tour of Flanders... only a moment of madness has seen it removed from the course since 2012

With the same meter one could add the Poggio, the Redoute, Ghisallo and all those minor climbs scattered in the Classics... probably the Ghisallo is the only one that can be considered a climb

imposter2.0

ugo.santalucia wrote:

Imposter wrote:

Koppenberg

In a way... hardly a climb... a steep bump of stones...

not been up it then?

the playing mantis

for the Pyrenees icons, hautacam too

smidsy

Imposter wrote:

ugo.santalucia wrote:

Imposter wrote:

Koppenberg

In a way... hardly a climb... a steep bump of stones...

not been up it then?

I would be surprised if he had not.

ugo.santalucia

Imposter wrote:

ugo.santalucia wrote:

Imposter wrote:

Koppenberg

In a way... hardly a climb... a steep bump of stones...

not been up it then?

4 times, but a 60 mt drop is a 60 mt drop, it's not an iconic climb in my books. There are roads in London that have more elevation (although they aren't cobbled and they don't go up 20%).
Maybe it's my different definitions, I was born behind a hill with a 300 mt drop and I never considered it a real climb, just a hill.

t4tomo

Rosedale Chimney Bank, that was the most iconic climb I remember from my childhood. The boys on the milkrace seemed to find it less troublesome than I did.

ugo.santalucia

This is the one I WANT to do at least once

imposter2.0

ugo.santalucia wrote:

Imposter wrote:

ugo.santalucia wrote:

Imposter wrote:

Koppenberg

In a way... hardly a climb... a steep bump of stones...

not been up it then?

4 times, but a 60 mt drop is a 60 mt drop, it's not an iconic climb in my books. There are roads in London that have more elevation (although they aren't cobbled and they don't go up 20%).
Maybe it's my different definitions, I was born behind a hill with a 300 mt drop and I never considered it a real climb, just a hill.

Go back and read the OP - the guy said 'iconic', not 'highest'.

Pross

For iconic you'd have to have the Mortirolo, Stelvio, Gavia and Zoncolan as a minimum from the Giro climbs.

ugo.santalucia

Pross wrote:

For iconic you'd have to have the Mortirolo, Stelvio, Gavia and Zoncolan as a minimum from the Giro climbs.

The Zoncolan is certainly the hardest climb, a brute, but is it iconic? I recall it being introduced in the Giro about 10 years ago for the first time and I think it has been done 4 times since... Maybe I confuse legendary with Iconic, don't know... :roll: