Learn how to choose between clipless and flat pedals by comparing efficiency, control, comfort, and riding style to find the right setup for your needs.
WHAT ARE THE MOST FAMOUS CYCLING STAGES OF THE TOUR DE FRANCE?
The Tour de France is more than a race—it’s a myth-making machine. Each year, a few stages rise above the rest, etched into cycling folklore by epic battles, brutal climbs, and unforgettable drama. In this deep dive, we explore the most famous Tour de France stages ever, what makes them legendary, and why they continue to define champions. From the towering Alps to the cobbled chaos of Roubaix, these stages are where legends are made.
The mountain stages that made history
When fans talk about the Tour’s greatest moments, mountain stages almost always top the list. High-altitude drama, soul-crushing gradients, and mythical climbs set the stage for career-defining wins and devastating collapses. These aren’t just roads—they’re arenas of suffering and glory.
Iconic Alpine and Pyrenean climbs
Alpe d’Huez: With its 21 switchbacks and rabid roadside crowds, this climb is the Tour’s ultimate showpiece. Winners here become household names.
Mont Ventoux: Nicknamed the “Giant of Provence,” it’s infamous for its lunar landscape and the tragic 1967 death of Tom Simpson. The 2021 double ascent cemented its status as a monument to endurance.
Col du Tourmalet: One of the most used climbs in Tour history, this Pyrenean beast offers stunning visuals and savage gradients that have broken many contenders.
Col du Galibier: A high-altitude sufferfest that often determines GC rankings. Riders climb above 2,600 meters—oxygen optional.
La Planche des Belles Filles: A modern classic where the Tour has seen nail-biting time gaps and yellow jersey drama—especially in time trials.
These stages are where climbers earn their keep and GC battles reach boiling point. Tactics matter, but grit matters more. Fans camp for days just to witness a few seconds of pure suffering and courage. The aura of these climbs only grows each year.
From Merckx to Pogacar, these peaks have crowned legends—and exposed the cracks in champions. It’s where the Tour is often won or lost.
Famous flat and cobbled battles
While mountains grab headlines, the Tour’s flat and cobbled stages have delivered their fair share of carnage and chaos. These are the days where GC dreams shatter in a gust of crosswind, and where sprinters and rouleurs reign supreme. Tactics, teamwork, and positioning are everything.
Flat stages that turned the tide
Stage to Paris Champs-Élysées: The final parade-turned-sprint showdown is the most prestigious day for fast men. Winning here cements a legacy.
Stage 5 (2022 Roubaix edition): Featuring 19km of bone-rattling cobbles, this was one of the most brutal early GC shuffles in recent memory.
Stage 13 (2015 Utrecht–Zélande): A flat Dutch stage ripped apart by crosswinds, where GC hopefuls lost minutes to clever team tactics and echelons.
Stage 3 (2010 Spa): Wet descents and tension led to crashes galore—riders like Cancellara and Schleck neutralized the race in a show of unity.
Any sprint to Nîmes or Carcassonne: These southern French cities regularly host technical sprint finales with narrow roads and late-stage nerves.
Cobbled stages are especially dramatic. Riders must balance risk and reward over sectors better suited to Paris-Roubaix specialists. GC contenders often lose time or crash—while savvy teams gain huge advantages by mastering positioning and timing.
Sprinters also have their days of glory here. Cavendish, Kittel, and Ewan have all written their names into Tour history by mastering these flat finishes with perfect timing and raw speed. But flat doesn’t mean easy—it means explosive.
Modern classics and unforgettable drama
The modern Tour de France isn’t short on legendary moments. In recent years, strategic brilliance, miraculous comebacks, and time trial shockers have delivered jaw-dropping stages that instantly joined the history books. These aren't just stages—they're cinematic moments that define eras.
Recent stages that changed everything
Stage 20 (2020 La Planche TT): Tadej Pogačar overturned a massive deficit in the penultimate stage, shocking Primož Roglič and the world with a tour-winning time trial.
Stage 11 (2022 Col du Granon): Jonas Vingegaard cracked Pogačar on a brutal alpine assault, shifting the yellow jersey in a modern tactical masterclass.
Stage 19 (2011 Alpe d’Huez): Contador attacked early, Evans countered late, and Pierre Rolland gave France a rare home win on a mythical climb.
Stage 10 (2016 Ventoux chaos): Froome crashed into a moto, ran up the mountain without a bike, and still managed to retain the yellow jersey amid confusion.
Stage 17 (2023 Courchevel): Vingegaard delivered a mountain masterclass, confirming dominance with a perfectly timed team effort and solo finish.
These stages prove that Tour drama isn’t limited to the past. With every edition, new legends emerge. Whether it’s a young rider’s breakout, a veteran’s resurgence, or a team strategy that flips the GC script, modern stages deliver edge-of-your-seat suspense and lasting legacy.
If you’re planning to watch or attend the Tour, mark these iconic stages on your calendar. They represent the heart of cycling’s greatest theater, where sweat, strategy, and suffering collide in the most epic ways possible.
YOU MAY ALSO BE INTERESTED
