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Alpe d'Huez: The Story of Pro Cycling's Greatest Climb
It has been called the Tour de France's 'Hollywood climb', and there is no doubt that Alpe d'Huez has played a starring role in cycling's history since its first encounter with the sport back in 1952 when the legendary Fausto Coppi triumphed on the summit. Re-introduced to the Tour in 1976, Alpe d'Huez has risen to mythical status, thanks initially to a string of victories by riders from Holland, whose exploits attracted tens of thousands of their compatriots to the climb, which has become known as 'Dutch mountain'.
A snaking 8.6-mile ascent rising up through 21 numbered hairpins at an average gradient of 7.8%, Alpe d'Huez is the climb on which every great rider wants to win. Many of the sport's most famous and now even infamous names have won on the Alpe, including Bernard Hinault, Joop Zoetemelk, Lucho Herrera, Marco Pantani and Lance Armstrong. As well as days of brilliance, there have controversies such as the high-speed and drug-fuelled duels of the EPO years in the 1990s and into the new millennium.
In Alpe d'Huez, veteran cycling journalist Peter Cossins reveals the triumphs, passion and despair behind the great exploits on the Alpe and discloses the untold details that have led to the mountain becoming as important to the Tour as the race is to resort at its summit. It is a tale of man and machine battling against breath-taking terrain for the ultimate prize.
A snaking 8.6-mile ascent rising up through 21 numbered hairpins at an average gradient of 7.8%, Alpe d'Huez is the climb on which every great rider wants to win. Many of the sport's most famous and now even infamous names have won on the Alpe, including Bernard Hinault, Joop Zoetemelk, Lucho Herrera, Marco Pantani and Lance Armstrong. As well as days of brilliance, there have controversies such as the high-speed and drug-fuelled duels of the EPO years in the 1990s and into the new millennium.
In Alpe d'Huez, veteran cycling journalist Peter Cossins reveals the triumphs, passion and despair behind the great exploits on the Alpe and discloses the untold details that have led to the mountain becoming as important to the Tour as the race is to resort at its summit. It is a tale of man and machine battling against breath-taking terrain for the ultimate prize.
304 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2015
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
January 13, 2017
Each chapter of the book opens with a lengthy retelling of the 1976 Alpe d'Huez stage when Van Impe took the jersey and Zoetemelk the stage in a 2 up sprint distancing Thevenet and dispossessing the jersey holder Martens.
The book discusses other years (most noticeably a lengthy account by Andy Hampsten of his own win and interviews with Van Impe and a very sympathetic profile of Zotemelk), mixed with some history of the resort (and of the ancient mining in the area) it's geography (including a description of the climb) and an examination of the link between the race and the Netherlands (including a profile of the radio commentator who did much to forge that link).
Ultimately a badly organised book though - the 1977 stage when Thevenet just held on to his jersey under pressure from Kuiper is described 3 or more times (twice in almost identical details).
Clearly the author decided to avoid a year by year coverage like The Tour Is Won on the Alpe: Alpe d'Huez and the Classic Battles of the Tour de France (and actually gives a good refutation of that assertion by showing how with the Tour often at the end of the race it simply confirmed the winner).
However a glossary of years and winners (and even better the result of each stage plus GC before, after and final) would have grounded the stage descriptions much better.
The book also misses out on recent stages (Chris Froome doesn't even make the index despite his hunger knock in 2013: and the dramatic Contador attack in 2011 is hardly mentioned).
Even more the book would have benefited from a schematic of the climb and maps of the area to really anchor the route and geographic descriptions which are the book's real strong point.
However still an enjoyable book and one which examines objectively the myths around he climb: the difficulty of a long range attack due to he common headwind on the valley road to the climb; that it's neither the hardest, most beautiful or most striking climb even in the area (quoting Andy Hampsten that its simply a very good road to get to a ski station) but that it's amphitheatre type nature make it the nearest cycling has to an arena.
The book discusses other years (most noticeably a lengthy account by Andy Hampsten of his own win and interviews with Van Impe and a very sympathetic profile of Zotemelk), mixed with some history of the resort (and of the ancient mining in the area) it's geography (including a description of the climb) and an examination of the link between the race and the Netherlands (including a profile of the radio commentator who did much to forge that link).
Ultimately a badly organised book though - the 1977 stage when Thevenet just held on to his jersey under pressure from Kuiper is described 3 or more times (twice in almost identical details).
Clearly the author decided to avoid a year by year coverage like The Tour Is Won on the Alpe: Alpe d'Huez and the Classic Battles of the Tour de France (and actually gives a good refutation of that assertion by showing how with the Tour often at the end of the race it simply confirmed the winner).
However a glossary of years and winners (and even better the result of each stage plus GC before, after and final) would have grounded the stage descriptions much better.
The book also misses out on recent stages (Chris Froome doesn't even make the index despite his hunger knock in 2013: and the dramatic Contador attack in 2011 is hardly mentioned).
Even more the book would have benefited from a schematic of the climb and maps of the area to really anchor the route and geographic descriptions which are the book's real strong point.
However still an enjoyable book and one which examines objectively the myths around he climb: the difficulty of a long range attack due to he common headwind on the valley road to the climb; that it's neither the hardest, most beautiful or most striking climb even in the area (quoting Andy Hampsten that its simply a very good road to get to a ski station) but that it's amphitheatre type nature make it the nearest cycling has to an arena.
August 23, 2019
The content is good, but I found the style of presentation hard to read. The way that the epic 1976 duel is split over many chapters I found annoying, and too much detail in the end. Not one of the great books of cycling literature, but I admire the author for tackling such a narrow subject as just the one hill climb from the Tour de France's great selection, and telling it's story.
September 17, 2017
This was much better than the little bit of Vespini's The Tour is Won on the Alpe I read. Cossins uses the 1976 Tour's ascent of Alpe d'Huez to begin each chapter, and then takes on topical approaches to exploring the climb and how it achieved its place in Tour history. I also appreciated his counter-argument to Vespini's claim that the Tour is won on the Alpe, as I had been contemplating writing such a critique myself.
January 6, 2021
In which you learn quite a few things about the 1976 Alpe d'Huez etape de Le Tour, some interesting things of history and anecdotes, you get a few tips on where to position yourself for the next iteration of Le Tour and the small idea of climbing it yourself starts to rear its head.
I enjoyed it a lot.
I enjoyed it a lot.
November 10, 2018
Well written but quite narrowly focussed. At times it feels repetitive and at others majestic, with sweeping, energised passages of a stage in the tour or interesting interviews with some key riders in this Alpe’s history.
July 18, 2020
Good book about a great TdF climb. The little intro to each chapter would’ve been better served just being a chapter themselves rather than being tagged into the start of each chapter. Other than that, a good read!
October 27, 2021
A great history of Alpe d'Huez
Interweaving a story re-telling the 1976 race up the famous climb, Peter Cousins recounts the history of the mountain, the town, road, resort, and finally how it became one of the iconic climbs of the Tour de France.
Interweaving a story re-telling the 1976 race up the famous climb, Peter Cousins recounts the history of the mountain, the town, road, resort, and finally how it became one of the iconic climbs of the Tour de France.
January 28, 2020
Slow to get started and never got out of second gear
May 18, 2023
A mish mash of stories about the most famous climb of cycling. It has some great stuff. But I was left wanting for more.
August 16, 2024
Glad I only read this book AFTER cycling up the mountain 😅 didn’t love the really repetitive writing style though
August 22, 2024
Liked it in general, but IMO the way every chapter started with a fragment from a historic battle was not a good choice, it was hard to keep track of that whole saga.
February 21, 2017
An entertaining book on cycling's greatest climb. Cossins does a great job explaining why a climb that is comparatively unremarkable to other famous Tour de France has gained so much in importance and stature. Many of the stages up Alpe D'Huez are detailed across the chapters and are interspersed with bits of local history on the development of the resort and the surrounding area. A feature I really enjoyed was the ongoing narrative of the epic battle between Joop Zoetemelk and Lucien Van Impe from 1976, the year the Alpe became a recurring feature in TdF's to come. Presented in italics at the start of each chapter, their duel up the mountain is detailed pedal by pedal and turn by turn to get at the heart of just how the legend was born. Written with details any cyclist would appreciate, the writing is free and flowing enough that non-cyclists could appreciate it just as well.
August 13, 2015
A great read about what must be THE mountain of the Tour de France. Filled with colourful stories about how it came to be included in the Tour and with the chapters linked to each other by a blow by blow account of an epic battle to win on the summit!
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews