Tour de France Stage 18 vs. Our Backyard

Climb Compare for Cyclists Who Love Numbers

Stage 18 of the 2025 Tour de France featured some of the most iconic and brutal climbs in the French Alps—Col du Glandon, Col de la Madeleine, and Col de la Loze. Watching it unfold, we couldn’t help but wonder:

How do these legendary climbs stack up against the routes we know and ride here in the U.S.—in Boulder, California, and Colorado’s high alpine passes?

So, we mapped them. Literally. This project is part homage, part analysis. We wanted to see not just the stats—elevation gain, length, grade—but also how the feel of these climbs compares when visualized side-by-side.

The Climbs Compared

🇫🇷 Tour de France Climbs

• Col du Glandon: 21.7 km | 1,289 m gain | 6.1% avg | 15.5% max

• Col de la Madeleine: 19.2 km | 1,522 m gain | 7.9% avg | 11.5% max

• Courchevel Col de la Loze: 27.4 km | 1,736 m gain | 6.3% avg | 16.4% max

These are HC (“Hors Catégorie”) climbs—notable not only for their steepness but also their relentless length and altitude gain. In the pro peloton, these are make-or-break climbs that define stages, and sometimes, the Tour itself.

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🇺🇸 U.S. Climbs (California + Colorado)

We selected local climbs with similar profiles—some match in length, some in brutality, and some in emotional instability:

• Independence Pass (Aspen): 30.7 km | 1,288 m gain | 4.1% avg | 10.8% max

• Pikes Peak: 30.9 km | 1,488 m gain | 6.8% avg | 12.7% max

• Onion Valley (Eastern Sierra): 21 km | 1,601 m gain | 7.7% avg | 17.6% max

• Latigo Canyon (Malibu): 16.4 km | 715 m gain | 5% avg | 7.9% max

• SuperFlag + Lefthand (Boulder): Combined ~27 km | ~1,250 m gain

We chose these climbs not because they mimic the Tour exactly—but because they evoke the same rider experience: long, punishing efforts with either sharp kickers or thin air as your companion.

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Design Intent

These visuals were created to tell a story—not just about stats, but about how these climbs feel. Our comparison maps are scaled to match each route by distance and elevation so you can truly see how your local climb stacks up against the Tour.

It’s not about one being “harder”—it’s about creating a new lens to appreciate the landscapes we ride in and the effort it takes to conquer them.

Takeaways for Riders:

• The French Alps pack more altitude per kilometer, but climbs like Onion Valley and Pikes Peak punch well above their profile.

• Boulder’s climbs are shorter—but when combined (hello, SuperFlag + Lefthand), they deliver serious vertical in a small package.

• Riding local doesn’t mean riding easy. These routes earn their stripes.

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Want to map your own climb?

We create custom infographics of your favorite routes—designed to look as epic as they felt.
🗺️ [Get Your Custom Climb Map →]

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