Hors catégorie

Hors catégorie is a French term used in cycle races (most notably, the Tour de France) to designate a climb that is "beyond categorization", an incredibly tough climb. Most climbs in cycling are designated from Category 1 (hardest) to Category 4 (easiest), based on both steepness and length. A climb that is harder than Category 1 is designated as hors catégorie. The term was originally used for those mountain roads where cars were not expected to be able to pass.

Contents

History

When the mountains classification in the Tour de France originated in the 1933 Tour de France, there was only one type of mountain. Points were given to the first cyclists to cross the mountains, starting with 10 points for the first cyclist, going down to 1 point for the tenth cyclist. After the second world war, in the 1947 Tour de France, the mountains were divided into two categories, the first and the second category. The first category mountains gave 10 points to the first cyclist, similar to before 1939, and the second category mountains gave only 5 points to the first cyclist.

The division in categories was successful, and already two years later, in 1949, the third category was added. These were even smaller mountains, which gave 3 points to the cyclist reaching the peak first.

In 1962, the fourth category was added. The points system was also revised: the first category now gave 15 points for the first cyclist, the second category 10 points, the third category 5 points and the fourth category 3 points. Although the fourth category disappeared in 1963, it came back again in 1964. The system with four categories kept in place until 1978, although the points distribution changed over the years.

In 1979, four categories was considered not enough, and another category was added. Instead of adding a "fifth category", the Tour organisation decided to add a "Hors Category".

Tour de France

The following climbs, used in the Tour de France have been ranked "Hors catégorie" at least once.

Col Height (m.) No. of times
visited		 No. of HC
climbs		 First time
as HC climb		 Most recent Profile[1]
Agnel, ColCol Agnel 2744 2 2 2008 2011 [1]
Alpe d'Huez, Alpe d'Huez 1860 27 23 1979 2011 [2]
Andorra Arcalis, Andorra Arcalis 2240 2 2 1997 2009 [3]
Aubisque, Col d'Col d' Aubisque 1709 46[2] 12 1980 2011 [4]
Balès, Port dePort de Balès 1755 2 2 2007 2010 [5]
Beille, Plateau dePlateau de Beille 1780 5 5 1998 2011 [6]
Bonette, Col de laCol de la Bonette 2715 4 2 1993 2008 [7]
Chamrousse, Chamrousse 1730 1 1 2001 2001 [8]
Croix-de-Fer, Col de laCol de la Croix-de-Fer 2067 15 7 1989 2008 [9]
Galibier, Col duCol du Galibier 2645 32 18 1979 2011 [10]
Glandon, Col duCol du Glandon 1924 12 3 1981 2001 [11]
Granon, Col duCol du Granon 2413 1 1 1986 1986 [12]
Hautacam, Hautacam 1560 4 4 1994 2008 [13]
Iseran, Col de l'Col de l' Iseran 2770 5 2 1992 2007 [14]
Isola 2000, Isola 2000 1900 1 1 1993 1993 [15]
Izoard, Col d'Col d' Izoard 2360 23 6 1986 2011 [16]
Joux-Plane, Col deCol de Joux-Plane 1691 11 6 1981 2006 [17]
La Plagne, La Plagne 1980 4 4 1984 2002 [18]
Larrau, Port dePort de Larrau 1573 2 2 1996 2007 [19]
La Ruchère-en-Chartreuse, La Ruchère-en-Chartreuse 1160 1 1 1984 1984 [20]
Lombarde, Col de laCol de la Lombarde 2351 1 1 2008 2008 [21]
Luz Ardiden, Luz Ardiden 1715 7 7 1985 2011 [22]
Madeleine, Col de laCol de la Madeleine 1993 22 14 1980 2010 [23]
Mont-Cenis, Col duCol du Mont-Cenis 2083 5 1 1999 1999 [24]
Pailhères, Port dePort de Pailhères 2001 3 2 2005 2010 [25]
Pla d'Adet, Pla d'Adet 1669 9 4 1981 2005 [26]
Pra Loup, Pra Loup 1630 2 1 1980 1980 [27]
Puy de Dôme, Puy de Dôme 1415 13 2 1983 1986 [28]
Soudet, Col duCol du Soudet 1540 6 2 1987 2006 [29]
Soulor, Col duCol du Soulor 1474 19 1 1982 1982 [30]
Superbagnères, Superbagnères 1770 6 1 1986 1986 [31]
Tourmalet, Col duCol du Tourmalet 2115 53[3] 20 1980 2011 [32]
Val Thorens, Val Thorens 2275 1 1 1994 1994 [33]
Ventoux, MontMont Ventoux 1909 14 4 1987 2009 [34]

See also

Notes

  1. ^ All profiles are on Le Tour de France depuis 1947 (French)
  2. ^ Includes stage finishes at Gourette
  3. ^ Includes stage finishes at La Mongie