The Climbs · Ride the Legends
The European Climbing Atlas
Legendary ascents and hidden mountain roads – with sourced numbers, schematic profiles and the race history that makes them feel bigger than the gradient.
Photo: Raul Taciu raultaciu · CC0
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The Atlas
20 climbs to start with
An illustrative first selection, not a complete list. Every figure links to its source.
How to read a climb
- Distance, gain, gradient – copied from the source named on each climb page. Values we calculated are marked *.
- Difficulty – the FIETS index (gain² ÷ distance×10, plus a bonus for summits above 1,000 m), banded by us: Moderate · Hard · Very hard · Extreme.
- Profiles are schematic – a straight line at the average gradient, not a measured profile.
- Times are physics estimates with stated assumptions – not standards.
Beyond the classicsVršič Pass🇸🇮 from Kranjska Gora · Julian Alps11.8 km815 m6.9 %Very hardBeyond the classics · Grand Tour historyLagos de Covadonga🇪🇸 from Covadonga · Picos de Europa, Asturias12.6 km1,056 m7.3 %Very hardFamous climbAlto de l'Angliru🇪🇸 from La Vega (Riosa) · Asturias12.5 km1,266 m*10.13 %ExtremeBeyond the classicsTorre – Serra da Estrela🇵🇹 from Covilhã · Serra da Estrela24.3 km1,585 m6.5 %ExtremeBeyond the classicsRocacorba🇪🇸 from Pujarnol bridge · Girona9.8 km744 m7.4 %HardBeyond the classicsEls Àngels🇪🇸 from Girona · Girona11 km415 m3.5 %ModerateBeyond the classicsTaygetos Pass🇬🇷 from Kalamata (via Artemisia) · Peloponnese32.3 km1,409 m4.4 %Very hardBeyond the classics · Grand Tour historyCalar Alto🇪🇸 from Gérgal · Sierra de los Filabres, Almería22.4 km1,432 m6.4 %ExtremeBeyond the classics · Grand Tour historyEtna – Rifugio Sapienza🇮🇹 from Nicolosi · Mount Etna, Sicily18.7 km1,183 m6.3 %Very hardBeyond the classics · Grand Tour historyPas de Peyrol (Puy Mary)🇫🇷 from Dienne · Monts du Cantal, Auvergne10.9 km535 m4.9 %HardBeyond the classicsFóia – Serra de Monchique🇵🇹 from Caldas de Monchique · Algarve16.4 km795 m4.9 %HardFamous climbPasso dello Stelvio🇮🇹 from Bormio · Ortler Alps, Lombardy21.1 km1,555 m7.4 %ExtremeFamous climbPasso del Mortirolo🇮🇹 from Mazzo di Valtellina · Lombardy12.4 km1,300 m10.5 %ExtremeFamous climbPasso di Gavia🇮🇹 from Ponte di Legno · Lombardy16.4 km1,319 m8 %ExtremeFamous climbCol de la Madeleine🇫🇷 from La Chambre · Savoie19.3 km1,522 m7.9 %ExtremeFamous climbCol du Galibier🇫🇷 from Valloire · Savoie / Hautes-Alpes18.1 km1,245 m6.9 %ExtremeFamous climbAlpe d'Huez🇫🇷 from Le Bourg-d'Oisans (D211) · Isère13.8 km1,118 m*8.1 %Very hardFamous climbMont Ventoux🇫🇷 from Bédoin · Provence21.8 km1,617 m7.4 %ExtremeFamous climbCol du Tourmalet🇫🇷 from Luz-Saint-Sauveur · Hautes-Pyrénées19 km1,404 m7.4 %ExtremeBeyond the classicsFurka Pass🇨🇭 from Realp · Uri / Valais12.2 km891 m7.3 %Very hard
Famous climbs to explore
The legends – 9 climbs every rider knows
The big names of the Tour, Giro and Vuelta. Same method as everywhere in the Atlas: sourced figures with retrieval date, FIETS index, our difficulty bands and stated assumptions for time estimates. Mostly far from our destination bases (the Angliru is the exception, near the Picos) – these are bucket-list rides.
Famous climbAlto de l'Angliru🇪🇸 from La Vega (Riosa) · Asturias12.5 km1,266 m*10.13 %ExtremeFamous climbPasso dello Stelvio🇮🇹 from Bormio · Ortler Alps, Lombardy21.1 km1,555 m7.4 %ExtremeFamous climbPasso del Mortirolo🇮🇹 from Mazzo di Valtellina · Lombardy12.4 km1,300 m10.5 %ExtremeFamous climbPasso di Gavia🇮🇹 from Ponte di Legno · Lombardy16.4 km1,319 m8 %ExtremeFamous climbCol de la Madeleine🇫🇷 from La Chambre · Savoie19.3 km1,522 m7.9 %ExtremeFamous climbCol du Galibier🇫🇷 from Valloire · Savoie / Hautes-Alpes18.1 km1,245 m6.9 %ExtremeFamous climbAlpe d'Huez🇫🇷 from Le Bourg-d'Oisans (D211) · Isère13.8 km1,118 m*8.1 %Very hardFamous climbMont Ventoux🇫🇷 from Bédoin · Provence21.8 km1,617 m7.4 %ExtremeFamous climbCol du Tourmalet🇫🇷 from Luz-Saint-Sauveur · Hautes-Pyrénées19 km1,404 m7.4 %Extreme
| Climb | Distance | Gain | Avg | Summit | FIETS | Our band |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Passo del Mortirolo 🇮🇹 from Mazzo di Valtellina | 12.4 km | 1,300 m | 10.5 % | — | 13.6 | Extreme |
| Alto de l'Angliru 🇪🇸 from La Vega (Riosa) | 12.5 km | 1,266 m* | 10.13 % | 1,573 m | 13.4 | Extreme |
| Passo dello Stelvio 🇮🇹 from Bormio | 21.1 km | 1,555 m | 7.4 % | 2,757 m | 13.2 | Extreme |
| Col de la Madeleine 🇫🇷 from La Chambre | 19.3 km | 1,522 m | 7.9 % | 2,000 m | 13 | Extreme |
| Mont Ventoux 🇫🇷 from Bédoin | 21.8 km | 1,617 m | 7.4 %* | 1,910 m | 12.9 | Extreme |
| Passo di Gavia 🇮🇹 from Ponte di Legno | 16.4 km | 1,319 m | 8 % | 2,621 m | 12.2 | Extreme |
| Col du Tourmalet 🇫🇷 from Luz-Saint-Sauveur | 19 km | 1,404 m | 7.4 % | 2,115 m | 11.5 | Extreme |
| Col du Galibier 🇫🇷 from Valloire | 18.1 km | 1,245 m | 6.9 % | 2,642 m | 10.2 | Extreme |
| Alpe d'Huez 🇫🇷 from Le Bourg-d'Oisans (D211) | 13.8 km | 1,118 m* | 8.1 % | 1,860 m | 9.9 | Very hard |
Beyond the classics
11 climbs near our destinations
The climbs you ride from our destination bases – some with Grand Tour history, most still under the radar.
Beyond the classicsVršič Pass🇸🇮 from Kranjska Gora · Julian Alps11.8 km815 m6.9 %Very hardBeyond the classics · Grand Tour historyLagos de Covadonga🇪🇸 from Covadonga · Picos de Europa, Asturias12.6 km1,056 m7.3 %Very hardBeyond the classicsTorre – Serra da Estrela🇵🇹 from Covilhã · Serra da Estrela24.3 km1,585 m6.5 %ExtremeBeyond the classicsRocacorba🇪🇸 from Pujarnol bridge · Girona9.8 km744 m7.4 %HardBeyond the classicsEls Àngels🇪🇸 from Girona · Girona11 km415 m3.5 %ModerateBeyond the classicsTaygetos Pass🇬🇷 from Kalamata (via Artemisia) · Peloponnese32.3 km1,409 m4.4 %Very hardBeyond the classics · Grand Tour historyCalar Alto🇪🇸 from Gérgal · Sierra de los Filabres, Almería22.4 km1,432 m6.4 %ExtremeBeyond the classics · Grand Tour historyEtna – Rifugio Sapienza🇮🇹 from Nicolosi · Mount Etna, Sicily18.7 km1,183 m6.3 %Very hardBeyond the classics · Grand Tour historyPas de Peyrol (Puy Mary)🇫🇷 from Dienne · Monts du Cantal, Auvergne10.9 km535 m4.9 %HardBeyond the classicsFóia – Serra de Monchique🇵🇹 from Caldas de Monchique · Algarve16.4 km795 m4.9 %HardBeyond the classicsFurka Pass🇨🇭 from Realp · Uri / Valais12.2 km891 m7.3 %Very hard
Professional heritage
Climbs of the Tour, Giro & Vuelta
Race facts quoted from the linked sources – official results only, no unofficial ‘fastest times’.
Beyond the classics · Grand Tour historyLagos de Covadonga🇪🇸 from Covadonga · Picos de Europa, Asturias12.6 km1,056 m7.3 %Very hardFamous climbAlto de l'Angliru🇪🇸 from La Vega (Riosa) · Asturias12.5 km1,266 m*10.13 %ExtremeBeyond the classics · Grand Tour historyCalar Alto🇪🇸 from Gérgal · Sierra de los Filabres, Almería22.4 km1,432 m6.4 %ExtremeBeyond the classics · Grand Tour historyEtna – Rifugio Sapienza🇮🇹 from Nicolosi · Mount Etna, Sicily18.7 km1,183 m6.3 %Very hardBeyond the classics · Grand Tour historyPas de Peyrol (Puy Mary)🇫🇷 from Dienne · Monts du Cantal, Auvergne10.9 km535 m4.9 %HardFamous climbPasso dello Stelvio🇮🇹 from Bormio · Ortler Alps, Lombardy21.1 km1,555 m7.4 %ExtremeFamous climbPasso del Mortirolo🇮🇹 from Mazzo di Valtellina · Lombardy12.4 km1,300 m10.5 %ExtremeFamous climbPasso di Gavia🇮🇹 from Ponte di Legno · Lombardy16.4 km1,319 m8 %ExtremeFamous climbCol de la Madeleine🇫🇷 from La Chambre · Savoie19.3 km1,522 m7.9 %ExtremeFamous climbCol du Galibier🇫🇷 from Valloire · Savoie / Hautes-Alpes18.1 km1,245 m6.9 %ExtremeFamous climbAlpe d'Huez🇫🇷 from Le Bourg-d'Oisans (D211) · Isère13.8 km1,118 m*8.1 %Very hardFamous climbMont Ventoux🇫🇷 from Bédoin · Provence21.8 km1,617 m7.4 %ExtremeFamous climbCol du Tourmalet🇫🇷 from Luz-Saint-Sauveur · Hautes-Pyrénées19 km1,404 m7.4 %Extreme
Pacing & preparation
Ride long climbs well
- Start slower than feels necessary – the first ten minutes decide the rest.
- Shift before steep ramps; stand briefly, then sit again.
- Drink and eat little and often on climbs of an hour or more.
- Pack a layer for the descent – it gets cold up high.
- After a big mountain day, plan an easier one.
Editorial General advice, not individual coaching.
Read the full guideComing later
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Record the climbs you've done, your dates and times, photos and notes – and set your next goals.
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