Summer is behind us. Time for autumn! But not before we took a look at which cols were most popular on the site of our partner Climbfinder. The Tour de France is clearly leaving its mark! How many have you ticked off?
Despite the fact that the Ventoux was not in the Tour this year, it is still the most popular col on Climbfinder. Not without reason of course, because is the Ventoux is, according to Strava data, the hors category col most often cycled up in one season. The long opening hours contribute to this: from the beginning of March until deep into November it is usually open. The side of Bédoin is by far the most popular with cyclists - it is not for nothing that this side was (also except twice) in the Tour. Of course this climb also several gran fondos, including the GF Mont Ventoux.
Photo: Le Mont Ventoux.
The Dutch mountain, with its 21 hairpins. Once again in the Tour this year. Do you remember who won the stage? You'll find the answer at the bottom of this article. That Alpe d'Huez scores so high is not even that logical in itself because the climb is not very beautiful, although the curves are legendary. Of course, we also know it as the final climb in La Marmotte. That's not the only GF that includes this climb, by the way. For example, GFNY La Vaujany also includes Alpe d'Huez.
A climb made famous by the gran fondo Les 3 Ballons; only after that came the pros. That's unique, usually it goes the other way around. This year, the Tour came along and finished on top. Not only the men, also the ladies rode up there over the Super Planche, a very steep unpaved final section with strips of 20%. Annemiek van Vleuten triumphed there in the women's race, while Tadej Pogacar won in the men's. At 6.5 km, this is by far the shortest climb on this list.
Photograph: the end of the unpaved section of the Super Planche.
The uncrowned king of the Italian Alps. 48 hairpins, what a backdrop! One of the highest climbs in Europe. The classic side is the one from Prato, but the ascent from Bormio is also stunning. A third approach route is via the Pass Umbrail (Switzerland). You then ride up the final kilometers from the Bormio side. This climb is also in the Dreiländergiro and the GF Stelvio Santini.
Read also: Europe's highest climbs #5: Stelvio
Picture: Passo dello Stelvio (© Cees Steenbergen).
The mountain where this year's Tour was definitely decided. This is where Team Jumbo-Visma started to attack, causing Pogacar to crack for the second time. But of course, as cyclists, we know the Galibier primarily from La Marmotte. Every year thousands of suffering at the beasts as they start the last 8 km at Plan Lanchat. At the top there is a feed station and then a delightful descent to Bourg. The Galibier Challenge is another nice gran fondo that has included the climb.
Read also: Highest climbs of Europe #9: Galibier
Close to Briançon you will find this rather unknown but oh so tough climb. The presence of this monster in the list comes - you guessed it - because the Tour passed here this year. It was here that Pogacar dropped for the first time that Tour. Jonas Vinegaard won the stage, and later the Tour. What not many people know is that the Granon is among the highest climbs in Europe (#20, be sure to read Herman Nekkers' story). The Granon was once part of the no longer existing gran fondo La Serre Chevalier Luc Alphand.
Photo: Col du Granon.
This col was not in the Tour this year but is still in the Top 10. The fact that it is close for riders from the Benelux and Germany and is included in many events is probably an explanation. This year the Grand Ballon was not even in the gran fondo Les 3 Ballons. The organization would have liked this to be different but couldn't get the permit. The new gran fondo GFNY Grand Ballon (formerly L'Alsacienne) did include the Grand Ballon.
Read also: Michiel Minnaert wins 1st edition GFNY Grand Ballon
This climb was also in the Tour and, as with the Granon, chances are it would not have been without it. Another fun fact: once again Jonas Vinegaard won the stage. We also know Hautacam, of course, from Bjarne Riis' totally unbelievable performance in hindsight in the '96 Tour. The climb is of course also included in the course of several gran fondos, of which the Marmotte Pyrenees is the most famous.
Amateurs off course know this climb from La Marmotte, although in this gran fondo you turn left just before the summit onto the Col du Glandon. By the way, La Marmotte did include the Croix de Fer prior to 2005. The Croix de Fer was in this year's Tour, but from the other side. That was in the aforementioned stage to l'Alpe d'Huez. The climb is included in several other gran fondo races, including GFNY Alpes Vaujany and (in part) in the GF La Madeleine.
Read also: La Madeline, an awesoms day in a snake pit
Photograph: Col du Tourmalet from Luz St. Sauveur.
Both sides are in in the Marmotte Pyrenees. It's also in GFNY Lourdes Tourmalet. It was not in the Tour that year, yet it is in the Top 10. This is not very surprising because it is without doubt the most famous col of the Pyrenees. No less than 85 times the Tourmalet was included in the Tour route. More than any other climb in the world!
The correct answer is Tom Pidcock.
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