Alpe d'Huez

L'Alpe d'Huez

Tour de France arrival line, avenue du Rif Nel.
Elevation 1,860 m (6,102 ft)
Location
L'Alpe d'Huez
Isère,  France
Range Alps

L'Alpe d'Huez is a ski resort at 1,860 to 3,330 metres (6,100 to 10,930 ft). It is a mountain pasture in the Central French Alps, in the commune of Huez, in the Isère département in the Rhône-Alpes region.

Contents

Summer

Tour de France

L'Alpe d'Huez is one of the main mountains in the Tour de France. It has been a stage finish almost every year since 1976, although absent from the route in both 2009 and 2010, the first time since 1976 that it has missed two consecutive years. It is a favourite on all Tour de France anniversary years. The first was in 1952, won by Fausto Coppi.[1]

The race was brought to the mountain by Élie Wermelinger, the chief commissaire or referee.[1] He drove his Dyna-Panhard car between snow banks that lined the road in March 1952, invited by a consortium of businesses who had opened hotels at the summit.[2] Their leader was Georges Rajon, who ran the Hotel Christina.[3] The ski station there opened in 1936. Wermelinger reported to the organiser, Jacques Goddet, and the Tour signed a contract with the businessmen to include the Alpe.[2] It cost them the modern equivalent of €3,250.[3]

Coppi attacked 6 kilometres from the summit to rid himself of the French rider, Jean Robic.[1][4] He turned the Alpe into an instant legend because this was the year that motorcycle television crews first came to the Tour.[1] It was also the Tour's first mountain-top finish.[5] 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] Coppi, Bartali, Kubler, Koblet, Bobet. But only Coppi and Armstrong 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.[4] (The veteran reporter should have included the name Fignon along with Coppi and Armstrong. Laurent Fignon took yellow on the Alpe (without winning the stage) in 1983, 1984, and 1989. He held it into Paris in 1983 and 1984 but in 1989 he lost it on the final stage to Paris, a time trial, to Greg LeMond to finish second by 8", the closest finish in tour history.)

After Coppi, however, the Alpe was dropped until 1964 and then again until 1976,[6] both times at Rajon's instigation.[3]

The climb is 13.8 km at an average 7.9 per cent, with 21 hairpins named after the winners of stages there. There were too many when the race made the 22nd climb in 2001 so naming restarted at the bottom with Lance Armstrong's name added to Coppi's.

French journalist and L'Equipe sportswriter Jean-Paul Vespini wrote a book about Alpe d'Huez and its role in the Tour de France: The Tour Is Won on the Alpe: Alpe d'Huez and the Classic Battles of the Tour de France.

Spectators

The Alpe has chaotic crowds of spectators. In 1999, Giuseppe Guerini won despite being knocked off by a spectator who stepped into his path to take a photograph. The 2004 individual time trial became chaotic when fans pushed riders toward the top. Attendance figures on the mountain have to be treated with caution. A million spectators were claimed for 1997. Eric Muller, the mayor of Alpe d'Huez, however, said there were 350,000 in 2001, four years later despite acceptance that the number rises every year. "We expect more than 400,000 for the centenary race in 2003," he said.[7] The author Tim Moore wrote:

As a variant on a sporting theme, Alpe d'Huez annoys the purists but enthrals the broader public, like 20/20 cricket or nude volleyball. Last year, a full-blown tent-stamping riot had required heavy police intervention. During this year's clean-up operation, down in a ravine with the bottle shards and dented emulsion tins, a body turned up. He'd fallen off the mountain and no one had noticed. When the Tour goes up Alpe d'Huez, it's a squalid, manic and sometimes lethal shambles, and that's just the way they like it. It's the Glastonbury Festival for cycling fans.[8]

Alpe d'Huez is the "Dutch Mountain", a Dutchman having won eight of the first 14 finishes. The writer Geoffrey Nicholson said:

The attraction of opposites draws them [Dutch spectators] from the Low Countries to the Alps each summer in any case. But all winter in the Netherlands coach companies offer two or three nights at Alpe d'Huez as a special feature of their alpine tours. And those Dutch families who don't come by coach, park their campers and pitch their tents along the narrow ledges beside the road like sea-birds nesting at St Kilda. The Dutch haven't adopted the Alpe d'Huez simply because it is sunny and agreeable, or even because the modern, funnel-shaped church, Notre Dame des Neiges, has a Dutch priest, Father Reuten (until a few years ago, it was used as a press room and was probably the only church in France where, for one day at least, there were ashtrays in the nave and a bar in the vestry, or where an organist was once asked to leave because he was disturbing the writers' concentration). No, what draws the Dutch to Alpe d'Huez is the remarkable run of success their riders have had there."[9]

The Dutch have won none of the last 13 stages, however; six have been won by Italians, three by Americans, twice by Spaniards, one by Fränk Schleck of Luxembourg, and the most recent by French cyclist Pierre Rolland.[10]

Significant stages

1952: Jean Robic attacked at the start of the climb and only Fausto Coppi could stay with him. The two climbed together until Coppi attacked at bend five, four kilometres from the top. He won the stage, the yellow jersey and the Tour.

1977: Lucien Van Impe, a Belgian rider leading the climbers' competition, broke clear on the Col du Glandon. He gained enough time to threaten the leader, Bernard Thévenet. He was still clear on the Alpe when a car drove into him. The time that Van Impe waited for another wheel was enough to keep Thévenet in the lead by eight seconds.

1978: Another Belgian leading the mountains race also came close to taking the yellow jersey. Michel Pollentier also finished alone, but he was caught soon afterwards defrauding a drugs control and was disqualified.

1984: The Tour invited amateurs to take part in the 1980s. The best was Luis Herrera, who lived at 2,000m in Colombia. None of the professionals could follow him. He won alone to the cacophony of broadcasters who had arrived to report his progress.

1986: Bernard Hinault said he would help Greg LeMond win the Tour but appeared to ride otherwise. The two crossed the line arm in arm in an apparent sign of truce.

1997: Marco Pantani, who won on the Alpe two years earlier, attacked three times and only Jan Ullrich could match him. He lasted until 10 km from the summit and Pantani rode on alone to win in what is often quoted as record speed (see below).

2001: Lance Armstrong feigned vulnerability earlier in the stage, appearing to be having an off-day. At the bottom of the Alpe d'Huez climb, Armstrong moved to the front of the lead group of riders and then looked back at Jan Ullrich, his main rival for the Yellow Jersey that year, seeming to challenge him to follow Armstrong up the climb. Seeing no response from Ullrich, Armstrong accelerated away from the field to claim the victory, 1:59 ahead of Ullrich.

Winners

Year Stage Start of stage Distance (km) Category of climb Stage winner Nationality Yellow jersey Bend
2011 19 Modane 109.5 HC Pierre Rolland  France Andy Schleck 16
2008 17 Embrun 210.5 HC Carlos Sastre  Spain Carlos Sastre 17
2006 15 Gap 187 HC Fränk Schleck  Luxembourg Floyd Landis 18
2004 16 Bourg-d'Oisans 15.5 (ITT) HC Lance Armstrong USA Lance Armstrong 19
2003 8 Sallanches 219 HC Iban Mayo  Spain Lance Armstrong 20
2001 10 Aix-les-Bains 209 HC Lance Armstrong USA François Simon 21
1999 10 Sestrières 220.5 HC Giuseppe Guerini  Italy Lance Armstrong 1
1997 13 Saint-Étienne 203.5 HC Marco Pantani  Italy Jan Ullrich 2
1995 10 Aime–La Plagne 162.5 HC Marco Pantani  Italy Miguel Indurain 3
1994 16 Valréas 224.5 HC Roberto Conti  Italy Miguel Indurain 4
1992 14 Sestrières 186.5 HC Andrew Hampsten USA Miguel Indurain 5
1991 17 Gap 125 HC Gianni Bugno  Italy Miguel Indurain 6
1990 11 Saint-Gervais–Mont Blanc 182.5 HC Gianni Bugno  Italy Ronan Pensec 7
1989 17 Briançon 165 HC Gert-Jan Theunisse  Netherlands Laurent Fignon 8
1988 12 Morzine 227 HC Steven Rooks  Netherlands Pedro Delgado 9
1987 20 Villard-de-Lans 201 HC Federico Echave  Spain Pedro Delgado 10
1986 18 Briançon–Serre Chevalier 182.5 HC Bernard Hinault  France Greg LeMond 11
1984 17 Grenoble 151 HC Luis Herrera  Colombia Laurent Fignon 12
1983 17 La Tour-du-Pin 223 HC Peter Winnen  Netherlands Laurent Fignon 13
1982 16 Orcières-Merlette 123 HC Beat Breu  Switzerland Bernard Hinault 14
1981 19 Morzine 230.5 HC Peter Winnen  Netherlands Bernard Hinault 15
1979* 18 Alpe d'Huez 118.5 HC Joop Zoetemelk  Netherlands Bernard Hinault 16
1979* 17 Les Menuires 166.5 HC Joaquim Agostinho  Portugal Bernard Hinault 17
1978 16 Saint-Étienne 240.5 1 Hennie Kuiper  Netherlands Joop Zoetemelk 18
1977 17 Chamonix 184.5 1 Hennie Kuiper  Netherlands Bernard Thévenet 19
1976 9 Divonne-les-Bains 258 1 Joop Zoetemelk  Netherlands Lucien Van Impe 20
1952 10 Lausanne 266 1 Fausto Coppi  Italy Fausto Coppi 21

*In 1979 there were two stages at Alpe d'Huez.

The peak is also finish of La Marmotte, a one-day, 175 km ride with 5000m of climbing. It is also used for downhill, or Alpine skiing.

Fastest Alpe d'Huez ascents

The climb has been timed since 1994 so earlier times are subject to discussion. From 1994 to 1997 the climb was timed from 14.5 km from the finish. Since 1999 photo-finish has been used from 14 km. Other times have been taken 13.8 km from the summit, which is the start of the climb. Others have been taken from the junction 700m from the start.[11]

These variations have led to a debate. Pantani's 37m 35s has been cited by Procycling and World Cycling Productions, publisher of Tour de France DVDs, and by Cycle Sport. In a biography of Pantani,[12] Matt Rendell notes Pantani at: 1994 – 38m 0s; 1995 – 38m 4s; 1997 – 37m 35s. The Alpe tourist association describes the climb as 14.454 km and lists Pantani's 37m 35s (23.08 km/h) as the record.[13]

Other sources give Pantani's times from 1994, 1995 and 1997 as the fastest, based on timings adjusted for the 13.8 km.[14] Such sources list Pantani's time in 1995 as the record at 36m 40s. In Blazing Saddles, Rendell has changed his view and listed it as 36m 50s[15] as does CyclingNews.[13] Second, third, and fourth fastest are Pantani in 1997 (36m 45s), Pantani in 1994 (37m 15s) and Jan Ullrich in 1997 (37m 30s). Armstrong's time in 2004 (37m 36s) makes him fifth fastest, highlighting how the 1990s had faster ascents than other eras.

A number of cycling publications cite times prior to 1994, although distances are typically not included, making comparisons difficult. Coppi has been listed with 45m 22s for 1952.[14]

In the 1980s Gert-Jan Theunisse, Pedro Delgado, Luis Herrera, and Laurent Fignon rode in times stated to be faster than Coppi's, but still not breaking 40m. Greg Lemond and Bernard Hinault have been reported as having the times of 48m 0s in 1986.[16]

It was not until Gianni Bugno and Miguel Indurain in 1991, that times faster than 40m were reported, including in the 39m range for Bjarne Riis in 1995 and Richard Virenque in 1997. For 2006, Floyd Landis was listed at 38'34" and Andreas Kloden at 38m 35s.[17]

Procycling listed Fränk Schleck in 2006 as 40m 46s, the first in more than 40 minutes since 1994. The increased speed in the 1990s had been attributed to Erythropoietin or EPO. Riders with sub-40m times, such as Alex Zülle, Riis, and Virenque, have admitted using such products. Landis subsequently had a positive drugs test. There is strong evidence that Pantani took EPO, while Armstrong remains the subject of an ongoing doping investigation.[18][19]

Ascent times

Rank Time Name Year Nationality
1 37' 35" Marco Pantani 1997  Italy
2* 37' 36" Lance Armstrong 2004  United States
3 38' 00" Marco Pantani 1994  Italy
4 38' 01" Lance Armstrong 2001  United States
5 38' 04" Marco Pantani 1995  Italy
6 38' 23" Jan Ullrich 1997  Germany
7 38' 34" Floyd Landis 2006  United States
8 38' 35" Andreas Klöden 2006  Germany
9* 38' 37" Jan Ullrich 2004  Germany
10 39' 02" Richard Virenque 1997  France
11 39' 06" Iban Mayo 2003  Spain
12* 39' 17" Andreas Klöden 2004  Germany
13* 39' 21" Jose Azevedo 2004  Portugal
14 39' 28" Miguel Induráin 1995  Spain
15 39' 28" Alex Zülle 1995  Switzerland
16 39' 30" Bjarne Riis 1995  Denmark
17 39' 31" Carlos Sastre 2008  Spain
18 39' 44" Gianni Bugno 1991  Italy
19 39' 45" Miguel Induráin 1991  Spain
20 40' 00" Jan Ullrich 2001  Germany
21 40' 46" Fränk Schleck 2006  Luxembourg
22 40' 51" Alexander Vinokourov 2003  Kazakhstan
23 41' 18" Lance Armstrong 2003  United States
24 41' 21" Samuel Sánchez 2011  Spain
25 41' 30" Alberto Contador 2011  Spain
26 41' 46" Cadel Evans 2008  Australia
27 41' 50" Laurent Fignon 1989  France
28 41' 50" Luis Herrera 1987  Colombia
29 41' 57" Pierre Rolland 2011  France
30 42' 15" Pedro Delgado 1989  Spain
31 43' 12" Ryder Hesjedal 2011  Canada
32 43' 12" Thomas Danielson 2011  United States
33 45' 20" Gert-Jan Theunisse 1989  Netherlands
34 45' 22" Fausto Coppi 1952  Italy
35 48' 00" Bernard Hinault 1986  France
36 48' 00" Greg Lemond 1986  United States

* The 2004 stage was an individual time trial.

Mountain Biking

The resort caters for mountain bikers during the summer months, the pinnacle of which is the Megavalanche, a 'Downhill Enduro' Event that takes riders from lift station at the highest peak, Pic Blanc, to Allemont in the valley floor.

Triathlon

Since 2006 Cyrille Neveu has organized the Triathlon EDF Alpe d'Huez, which has become a major summer attraction.

Winter

Skiing at Alpe d'Huez

Alpe d'Huez
Location Alpe d'Huez, France
Nearest city Alpe d'Huez, France
Vertical 2,224 metres (7,297 ft)
Top elevation 3,330 metres (10,930 ft)
Base elevation 1,120 metres (3,670 ft)
Skiable area 236 square kilometres (58,000 acres)
Runs 123 (249km) (easy 38, intermediate 68, difficult 17)[20]
Longest run 16 km
Lift system 84 (6 cable cars, 10 gondolas, 3 access lifts, 24 chairlifts, 41 drag lifts)
Lift capacity 95,000 skiers/hr
Snowfall 5.48 m/year (216 in./year)
Snowmaking 64 square kilometres (16,000 acres)
Night skiing Limited, 1 lift, 2 days/week
Web site Alpe d'Huez

Alpe d'Huez is one of Europe's premier skiing venues. The site of the Pomagalski's first surface lift in the mid thirties, the resort gained popularity when it hosted the bobsleigh events of the 1968 Winter Olympics. At that time the resort was seen as a competitor to Courchevel as France's most upmarket purpose built resort but the development of Les Trois Vallées, Val d'Isère, Tignes, La Plagne and Les Arcs saw Alpe D'Huez fall from favour in the 1970s and early 1980s.

With 249 km of piste and 84 ski lifts, the resort is now one of the world's largest. Extensive snowmaking facilities helped combat the ski area's largely south-facing orientation and helped Alpe d'Huez appeal to beginner skiers, with very easy slopes. The expansion of the skiing above the linked resorts of Vaujany, Oz-en-Oisans, Villard Reculas and Auris boosted the quantity and quality of intermediate grade slopes but the resort is mostly known for freeskiing, drawing many steep skiing enthusiasts to its high altitude terrain.

Aside from the Tunnel and Sarenne black runs, the latter the world's longest at 16 km, many Off-piste opportunities exist both from the summit of the 3330 m Pic Blanc and the 2808 m Dome des Petites Rousses. These include the 50-degree Cheminees du Mascle couloirs, the open powder field of Le Grand Sablat, the Couloir Fleur and the Perrins bowl. Up to 2200 m of vertical descent are available with heli drops back to the resort's altiport. The proximity to the exclusively off-piste resort of La Grave as well as tree skiing at Serre Chevalier and the glacier and terrain parks of Les Deux Alpes have made Alpe d'Huez a popular base for skiers looking to explore the Oisans region.

1968 Winter Olympics

Alpe d'Huez hosted the bobsleigh events at the 1968 Winter Olympics based at Grenoble 65 kilometres (40 mi) away.[21] The track, built in spring 1966 for FRF 5,500,000, hosted the 1967 FIBT world championship. The cooling could not keep the ice solid in bright daylight – not least because the track faced south. The four-man event was cancelled because of thawing ice, and modifications were made in spring 1967 to prepare for the Games.[21] The refrigeration system was strengthened in turns 6, 9, 12, and 13; turn 12 was covered with stone and earthwork to prevent concrete coming up, turn 12 was cooled with liquid nitrogen, and shades were built on turns 6, 9, 12, and 13 to minimise direct sunlight.[21] Thawing remained a problem and Olympic bobsleigh events had to be scheduled before sunrise. The track closed in 1972 due to high operating costs but the structure remains as demolition would not have been economical.

Physical statistics[21]
Sport Length (meters) Turns Vertical drop (start to finish) Average grade (%)
Bobsleigh 1500 13 140 9.33

No turn names were given for the track.

Sister cities

Alpe d'Huez's sister cities are:

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d Vélo, France, June 2004
  2. ^ a b Chany, Pierre (1988), La Fabuleuse Histoire du Tour de France, Nathan, France
  3. ^ a b c Procycling, UK, August 2002
  4. ^ a b L'Équipe Magazine, 17 July 2004
  5. ^ L'Équipe Magazine, 20 July 2002
  6. ^ Cycling Weekly, UK, November 2001
  7. ^ Journal du Dimanche, France, 13 July 2003
  8. ^ Procycling, UK, September 2004
  9. ^ Nicholson, Geoffrey (1991) Le Tour: the rise and rise of the Tour de France, Hodder and Stoughton, UK, ISBN 0-340-542638-3 p173
  10. ^ "Rolland wins on the Alpe d'Huez at end of epic stage". www.cyclingnews.com. 22 July 2011. http://www.cyclingnews.com/tour-de-france/stage-19/results. Retrieved 22 July 2011. 
  11. ^ "Alpe d'Huez". www.gastrobiking.com. http://www.gastrobiking.com/region/alpe_dhuez.html. Retrieved 21 July 2008. 
  12. ^ Rendell, Matt (2006). The Death of Marco Pantani – A Biography. Weidenfeld & Nicholson. ISBN 9780297850960. 
  13. ^ a b Tim Maloney (21 July 2004). "Armstrong dominates on l'Alpe d'Huez". www.cyclingnews.com. http://autobus.cyclingnews.com/road/2004/tour04/?id=results/stage16. Retrieved 21 July 2008. 
  14. ^ a b "Les temps de référence dans la montée de l'Alpe d'Huez". grimpee.alpe.9online.fr. http://grimpee.alpe.9online.fr/references.html. Retrieved 20 July 2008. (French)
  15. ^ Rendell, Matt (2007). Blazing Saddles. Quercus (United Kingdom). ISBN 9781847241559. 
  16. ^ "L'Alpe d'Huez – The first strike". www.cyclingnews.com. July 2003. http://autobus.cyclingnews.com/road/2003/tour03/?id=features/alpe_dhuez. Retrieved 21 July 2008. 
  17. ^ L'Équipe, 19 July 2006
  18. ^ Matt Rendell (7 March 2004). "The long, lonely road to oblivion". observer.guardian.co.uk. http://observer.guardian.co.uk/osm/story/0,,1161002,00.html. Retrieved 21 July 2008. 
  19. ^ Matt Rendell (2006). The Death of Marco Pantani – A Biography. Weidenfeld & Nicholson. pp. 178. ISBN 9780297850960. 
  20. ^ http://www.crystalski.co.uk/destinations/france/alpe_d_huez/alpe_d_huez.html
  21. ^ a b c d 1968 Winter Olympics official report. pp. 104–105. (English) & (French) – accessed 27 February 2008.

External links

Current artificial tracks
Former artificial tracks
Future artificial tracks
Natural luge tracks
Venues of the 1968 Winter Olympics