The tour includes various landscapes that assault riders in different ways. Sprints create exciting finishes where athletes often win by microscopic margins. Time trials force riders to give all-out performances, leaving fans marveling at their power. Hilly stages are sometimes wild cards where racers can take risks and push themselves differently.
But nothing blows the pack of the Tour de France apart like mountainous stages. The Tour de France sends riders on some of the most challenging climbs in cycling.
By the race’s end, riders usually climb more than 150,000 feet. The most demanding climbing stages significantly affect those who walk away in the yellow jersey.
The Tour de France route changes every year. The total number of climbs can vary, and tour organizers can specify different and unfamiliar climbs. Some, however, have become so iconic that they are synonymous with the tour.
Here are five of the most famous climbs in the Tour de France.
Alpe d’Huez: A Queen Stage of the Tour de France

The Alpe d’Huez is among the most famous climbs in the Tour de France. It is composed of 21 tight switchback turns and runs for just more than 8 miles, with an average grade of about 8%.
Riders gain more than 3,500 feet in elevation during the climb. Each of the 21 corners takes its name from a previous stage winner, so it is steeped in the tour’s history.
This route is also a favorite vantage point for fans to watch the race. As they fight to the top, huge crowds line the roadway to cheer on their favorite cyclists.
Alpe d’Huez isn’t part of the 2024 Tour de France, but it is part of the 2024 Tour de France Femmes. The women’s event runs after the men’s and will occur from August 12 to 18. The Alpe d’Huez stage will be on August 8 and the final stage, and it could prove pivotal for the overall podium.
Col du Galibier: Usually the Highest Point of the Race (But Not This Year)

Mont Ventoux: One of the Most Popular Climbs of the Tour de France

Col du Tourmalet: The Tall Boy

Col d’Aubisque
