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TOUR DE FRANCE It is one of the most famous of the mountain climbs on the Tour De France . While the route varies from year to year, l'Alpe d'Huez has hosted a stage finish almost every year since 1976 . The Tour de France first finished a stage on l'Alpe d'Huez in 1952 . That stage was won by the Italian Cyclist Fausto Coppi . The climb up Alpe d'Huez is 14km at an average gradient of 8% with 21 hairpin bends marked with panels honouring the winners of each stage that has finished there. Having finished there for the 22nd time in 2002 the authorities have had to start again at the bottom with a double panel honouring Fausto Coppi and Lance Armstrong . As the most legandary climb in recent Tour history, the Alpe has been the scene of chaotic crowds in the past 10 years. In 1999 Giuseppe Guerini won the stage despite being knocked off his bike by an over-enthusiastic spectator who stepped into his path to take a photograph (the photographer sought out Guerini later to apologize.) The 2004 Tour De France route featured an Individual Time Trial up Alpe d'Huez, which became a chaotic scene crowded with nearly a million fans, some of whom could not resist pushing their favorite rider toward the top. Lance Armstrong won the stage, but his time was one second slower than the record set by the late, great Marco Pantani of 37 minutes, 35 seconds. The peak also serves as the finish of La Marmotte - a one-day, 175km Cyclosportive ride with well over 5000m of climbing. It is also used for Downhill, Or Alpine Skiing . Winners of the Alpe d'Huez stage at Tour de France
Fastest Alpe d'Huez ascents All ascents are timed from 13.8 km below the summit, to the summit. EXTERNAL LINKS
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