Luz Ardiden
In winter, Luz Ardiden is packed with skiers. In summer, this 13km climb in the Pyrenees is often deserted – until the Tour comes to town
Cyclist tackles a climb so tough that it nearly broke Lance Armstrong in the Tour de France
Iban Mayo must have been wondering exactly when the black cat had crossed his path or where the ladder was that he’d walked under. Monday 21st July 2003 just wasn’t his day. His legs were strong, he was high on the GC in the Tour de France and there was a decent contingent of Basque fans on the final climb of Stage 15 to cheer him on. But there was a fly in the ointment. At every pedal stroke he was thwarted by a man wearing a yellow jersey…
The last resort
The climb to Luz Ardiden begins, somewhat prosaically, at a miniroundabout, the D12 spearing off the D921 to the west of Luz-saint Sauveur in the French Pyrenees. Immediately you’re into an ascent that will last just over 13km at an average gradient of 7.4%. Some large pipes provide the first landmarks. Bisecting the road at right angles, they presumably service the town below but it’s more fun to imagine they’re extreme flumes for some dilapidated swimming pool.
For a climb with more hairpins than Alpe d’huez, it seems odd that you don’t really encounter any corners, let alone a switchback, until you’re more than 2km into the climb. At 5% for that initial stretch, it’s a relatively benign start in terms of gradient too, and although you’re travelling through a tunnel of trees it doesn’t feel oppressively enclosed.
The village of Sazos provides a change of both scenery and gradient, throwing in four switchbacks in quick succession to make up for lost time. As you head the other way across the prevailing incline you also get your first glimpses of a fabulous view. Below is Luz-saint Sauveur, cradled
Luz Ardiden has only featured in the Tour eight times, but it has certainly had its share of drama
Averaging just over 9%, it’s not wildly inclined, but it is sustained in its strengthsapping steepness
in the Pyrenean landscape. It’s strange because in one glance the cluster of buildings looks safe and secure surrounded by snow-capped skyscrapers, but in the next glance the mountains seem to be menacingly overbearing. Of course it’s those same mountains from whence most people will have approached Luz Ardiden, as there lies the mighty Tourmalet.
Another kilometre through the trees and you reach the hamlet of Grust (of which more shortly), before a handful of hairpins leads you on to the toughest stretch of the whole climb. Averaging just over 9%, it’s not wildly inclined, but it is sustained in its strength-sapping steepness. In fact what really characterises the climb is its very measured personality. This is good because it means you can get into a rhythm, but it also means you never really get a break.
The fact that the road was only built in the 1970s probably explains why it’s pleasingly broad and why the gradient is so regular compared to wilder, older roads up into the mountains. It also means Luz Ardiden has only featured in the Tour de France eight times (and twice in the Vuelta), but it has certainly had its share of drama.
The coolest images must be of Greg Lemond in 1990. With his Z team World Champion’s jersey, Oakleys and no helmet he looked the epitome of cycling chic (ignoring the slightly odd Scott bars). He didn’t win the stage that day – he merely set up his overall victory days later in Paris. Instead he towed another iconic name to the top. Miguel Indurain, freed from Delgado domestique duties (Pedro was having a bad day, having won on the climb on its debut in 1985), stole the stage
For a while the status quo resumed. Then Mayo attacked again. Surely this time he’d get away?
and established the natural order of things for the next five years.
But the most famous incident on Luz Ardiden? That brings us back to Iban Mayo. The man in yellow, you won’t be surprised to hear, was Lance Armstrong. But he had only a slender lead over 1997 winner Jan Ullrich and hadn’t looked anything like the dominant force of previous years. There was seemingly no attack in Armstrong. Early on the slopes of Luz Ardiden, Mayo stood on the pedals and opened a gap. But Armstrong followed, went to the front and slowly Ullrich reeled them both back in.
Then it happened. Just before Grust, the careless Armstrong, riding too close to the crowd, caught his handlebars on a young spectator’s bag. The American went down in an instant. Mayo had nowhere to go but into Armstrong, so found himself chewing the tarmac too. Mayo, wearing the orange of his EuskatelEuskadi team, was up quicker and on his way. Armstrong, full of adrenaline, set off in pursuit soon after. He found Mayo’s wheel once more, overtook and then his foot slipped off the pedal. He was launched onto the top tube and nearly took Mayo out again.
At this point, just up the road, Ullrich was soft pedalling, waiting for the maillot jaune in accordance with the peloton’s unwritten agreement not to attack a leader who’s been involved in a crash. Armstrong’s directeur sportif, Johan Bruyneel, would later say this was ‘the attitude of a true champion’.
Mayo and Armstrong managed to rejoin the group and for a while the status quo resumed. Then Mayo attacked again. Surely this time he’d get away? But once more Armstrong used the Spaniard as a springboard and this time Mayo could only stay with the American briefly before being distanced.
After the stage, Armstrong would say, ‘Sometimes the best way for me to ride is angry, but I wasn’t angry today when I attacked. I was a little bit desperate.’ He was desperate because he knew he needed to put time into Ullrich before the final time-trial. Whatever it was that fuelled his
Armstrong hadn’t even been able to muster the energy to raise his arms as he crossed the line
attack, he dropped Mayo for good and forged on alone to win the stage.
Eyes on the prize
A long left-hand bend takes you round the shoulder of the mountain and into the finishing amphitheatre. This is the spectacular slice of scenery that draws people to the climb.
The final 4km snakes back and forth in a great grassy alcove. Ignore the right turn off the hairpin with just under 2km to go, watch out for the cattle grid 600m later and then give it your all through the twists and turns of the final 750m.
At the top it’s obvious why it’s such a quiet climb. There’s nothing here in summer, apart from a rather retro building emblazoned with the ski resort’s name. Mayo eventually sprinted past Ullrich for second place in 2003, but he was some 40 seconds behind Armstrong, who hadn’t even been able to muster the energy to raise his arms as he crossed the line.
Once you’ve regained your strength you’ll not only be able to savour a wonderful view but also look forward to a great encore. The broad, well surfaced and relatively even climb also makes for a great descent.
Henry Catchpole couldn’t raise his arms either