While in the last post we revisited ten climbs Tour de France did, it’s now time to check ten climbs that Tour de France never did and we would like to see in the route. Have a look at them and tell us what do you think.

1. Val Pelouse

Need a steep mtf in the Alps? Val Pelouse can provide you what you need. The climb is near La Rochette and can be easily paired with climbs like Grand Coucheron before it. Don’t have a full video of the climb but the surface can be seen in the one posted and it’s doable in a race with the usual resurface. Having a finish on the top can bring a steep finish that Tour de France usually misses

2. Lac d’Aumar

Pyrenees doesn’t usually have long climbs – so why not adding one? Lac d’Aumar starts from Saint-Lary-Soulan when people discovered Portet thanks to the Tour de France. This climb is not as steep as Portet but can be good as a stage finish being long and with an hard middle part forcing riders to attack before the last ramp. Finish would also deliver to the TV a beautiful sightseeing of the lakes near the Pic de Neouvielle

3. Col de l’Arpettaz

An interesting climb on the Alps, starting from Ugine. Probably not suitable for a MTF but it has also a descent and it’s another hard climb on the Alps never done by the Tour, potentially pairing it with Mont Bisanne. Road surface seems good and with a bit of usual pre-tdf work can be done in a race.

4. Col de Moissiere

Tour de France usually ends a lot in Gap but Col de Manse delivering usually boring breakaways and no GC gaps. Trying to make a different route like inserting the Moissiere before the finish. The climb is a bit longer and steeper than the Manse, delivering some potential GC action

5. Col de Parpaillon

If Tour de France did the Col de la Loze, why not bringing the race to another iconic climbs in the Alps? Parpaillon isn’t ideally suitable for a road race at the moment, but with the refurbishing road works done in Col de la Loze (and Portet) this climb can be featured in the Grand Boucle. As a big plus, this climb can be paired with Izoard or Bonette-Restefond depending the side you pick. The only problem can be the tunnel at the top in which a race like TDF can struggle to pass.

6. Puigmal

You don’t usually find good finishes in the French zone around Pyrenees 2000. One of them is the ski station of Puigmal that recently reopened featuring a 14 km climb with final part around 7-8%. It would be a normal climb in another zone – but in this one can bring a new MTF in a zone that is usually bad for the stages.

7. Station des Karellis (Col d’Albane)

Is Tour de France lacking hard MTF? This ski station in Savoie would perform an interesting finish that can follow immediately Galibier or Croix-de-Fer never going under 6% average. This makes it an ideal finish for a “normal” stage that anyway never happened in the Grand Boucle.

8. Montee de Villard-notre-Dame (Col du Solude)

This climb starts from le Bourg d’Oisans and it’s enough to classify it as interesting. It’s in front of the Alpe d’Huez on a small panoramic road that makes it wonderful. It’s currently not doable in road cycling because the descent is on a small, gravel road that makes it not possible to pass with the caravan. There were rumors of surfacing work and doing that part makes this climb indeed doable in the Grand Boucle – of course followed by Alpe d’Huez for a memorable finish.

9. Pic de Beillurti

The climb is in a zone that Tour de France sistematically forgot exists, near the Basque Country Pyrenees. Road surface is narrow but generally good and not different than the Horquette d’Ancizan making the climb suitable for a race. It will bring Tour de France a steep climb giro-vuelta like that is actually missing in the race.

10. Col du Jandri

Imagine having Zoncolan and Finestre together, starting from a normal climb. This is the Col du Jandri, the end of the climb of Les Deux-Alpes. The climb is paved in first Kms, then after Km 12 is suddenly gravel on a public road. It will probably need some road work to make it a racing sterrato like Finestre but the result would be delivering in the Tour de France the hardest climb ever doable in a road race and an historical day in cycling history.

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