Alpe d'Huez
45.096.07Koordinaten: 45 ° 5 ' 24 "N, 6 ° 4' 12" E
L' Alpe d' Huez [ lalpdyɛz ] is a ski resort in the French Alps, located on the territory of the municipality Huez. Internationally known, he is on the one hand as a mountain finish in the Tour de France and the other as one of the most important archaeological sites medieval silver mining in Europe.
Location and origin
The place is located in the department of Isère. Near the foothills of the mountain ranges of the Oisans and the Grandes Rousses merge. In addition to Val d'Isere, Tignes, Courchevel, La Plagne and Les Arcs is L' Alpe d' Huez one of the largest ski resorts in the French Northern Alps. He belongs to the second generation of winter sports centers, which developed more or less organically by a small, high-altitude mountain village. In a third generation had great tourism enterprises " Ski Total -places" such as Courchevel, with huge apartment blocks in a previously almost untouched landscape, leading to environmental problems.
In the 12-13. Century was located within 300 meters of the site Brandes en Oisans, was operated in the productive silver mining. This is the goal of an ongoing excavation under the direction of archaeologist Marie -Christine Bailly- Maître.
By host the bobsleigh competitions of the Olympic Winter Games 1968 L' Alpe d' Huez was a boom, whereas the adjacent Ornon until now has kept its original character as a mountain village and a cozy winter. In addition to the Tour de France, the winter could make a name for itself with a second summer event, since the Triathlon EDF Alpe d' Huez is organized.
Cycling
Tour de France
Its importance for cycling owes L' Alpe d' Huez the rise of Le Bourg d'Oisans up. With its 21 hairpin bends he is next to the Col du Galibier, Col du Tourmalet and Mont Ventoux one of the most famous climbs of the Tour de France. 1952 was the first time a summit finish of the Tour de France in the retort settlement instead, which decided the Italian " Campionissimo " Fausto Coppi for themselves. It was not until 24 years later - in 1976 - the tour visited L' Alpe d' Huez for a second time. Since then, however, the legendary, back sequentially numbered 21 hairpin bends are regularly among the most important cycling race in the world program. Only in the 1980, 1985, 1993, 1996, 1998, 2000, 2002, 2005, 2007, 2009 and 2010 was not Alpe d'Huez in the course plan of the tour.
Because of the severity of the increase and the fact that have immortalized by winning there with few exceptions, the greats of cycling, a stage win in L' Alpe d' Huez has a special meaning for both the drivers and the spectators. Therefore, in reporting also often the " myth L' Alpe d' Huez " or the " mythical mountain " is mentioned. The names of the stage winners are listed in the 21 hairpin bends, starting with the first winner in the 21 bend. Since there are more winners than sweeping since Lance Armstrong's victory in 2001, people have started to label the plates twice. Bend 21 is now dedicated to Fausto Coppi and Lance Armstrong.
Route profile
Approximately 1.5 km from the center of Le Bourg d'Oisans begins the 13.8 km long climb at an altitude of 760 m. The finish line is at 1850 m. This results in a Direction to be handled height difference of 1090 m and an average gradient of 7.9%. The first few kilometers are on average about 10 % steep. In the middle of the slope is about 8%. The final part is about 5.5 % with relatively flat. The steepest kilometers is the tenth kilometer with an average of 11.5 % slope. The steepest sections are 3.5 km ( 14.8 %) and 7.5 km ( 14.7 %).
Stage winner of L' Alpe d' Huez
Bests
Since 1994, the time for the final climb to L' Alpe d' Huez is officially stopped. Earlier times are therefore not available or have only unofficial character. The " mountain record " held by the Italian Marco Pantani who needed 37:35 min for the increase in 1997. The times mentioned in various sources are sometimes given apart greatly and are often not comparable, since the time measurements are different paths to ground. Thus, the increase from the last crossing was from 1994 to 1997 measured before the increase (14,5 km from the target). Since 1999, the time from the curve, behind the immediately starts its ascent, measured (13,9 km from the finish ).
In this context, it is noteworthy that Lance Armstrong, winner of the mountain time trial in 2004 (on the occasion of the 100th anniversary tour ), despite the short leg length was not able to beat Pantani best. He drove the increase in second slower ( 37:36 min) than Pantani 1997 The gigantic audience of people nearly 1 million resulted mainly in the lower half of the mountain to chaotic conditions. Because there were no fences here were the enthusiastic fans so close to the track that the drivers drove as against a human wall that opened always at the last moment.
The Times of Pantani have all been achieved at the end of a long and difficult mountain stage. Armstrong, however, had no such bias 2004. From what we know so far, the record times Pantani fall in the marriage of the Epo- doping, however, the times of the 90's are additionally enhanced by the fact that the former weight of racing bikes was more than 8 kg. In comparison, the weight of Armstrong's bike was only 6.8 kg in 2004. One should also remember that the competition body weight of Lance Armstrong (about 71 kg) compared to Marco Pantani ( about 59 kg) was higher by around 12 kg, however. Combine this with a system weight, so drivers plus wheel derived and and faces according to the power in watts per kilogram weight of the system, we arrive at almost the same values (around 6.1 watts per kilogram weight of the system, so a rider ). That is, both drivers were in top form on the Mountain " on paper" nearly the same.
(* ) = The mountain time trial in 2004 reached time
Curiosities
So far, only two winners of L' Alpe d' Huez at the same time could also decide the overall standings of the Tour for yourself: Fausto Coppi in 1952 and Carlos Sastre in 2008, Lance Armstrong was in 2001 the stage to L ` Alpe d` Huez and the same year the overall standings. win, on 22 October 2012, however, all his victories were withdrawn at the tour de France due to years of drug abuse.
At times, L' Alpe d'Huez was also referred to as " mountain of the Dutch " because until 1989, eight out of fourteen stage successes were achieved by Dutch riders. Since then, no Dutchman was able to continue this tradition. In the " Nations Cup " on this mountain, the Netherlands lie with their eight victories still slightly ahead of the Italians ( 7 wins ).
In 1999, a camera-toting spectators the leader Giuseppe Guerini just before the finish to case. In spite of the fall Guerini succeeded to win the stage.
Critérium du Dauphiné
In 2010, L' Alpe d' Huez was added as the first in the Critérium du Dauphiné program after the first rise was missing in a row at the Tour de France since 1976, two years.
2013 L' Alpe d' Huez was again part of the Dauphiné - tour - a month before the double Befahrung by the 100th Tour de France - but not as a final climb, but at the start of Stage 7.
Winners of the rise of L' Alpe d' Huez in the Critérium du Dauphiné:
- 2010: Spain Alberto Contador
- 2013: Thomas De Gendt of Belgium