Alpe D´Huez 2013. Pantani´s climb

Photo Frank Nimeijer

The possible Queen stage of the Tour of the Centenary is the Alpe DHuez stage ( even though the stage to le Gran Bornand is perhaps the toughest one), with a double pass to the Alpe in the same stage. This is one of the best news of the next Tour because knowing the presence of the Alpe in the Tour the options to face it increase, with Sarenne........not only as a desent but as a climb coming for example from Galibier.

The 2013 stage:

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The final 64 kilometers

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The profile of the Alpe

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A very wellknown climb, that used to be know as the Dutch climb, because of the victories of Dutch riders there. However, this was a especial climb for one of the best climbers ever, Marco Pantani, who won there his first stage in a Tour in 1995.

Photo: © John Pierce/Photosport International

It had been a difficult year for Pantani, who had an exciting 95 to show his ability in the climbs, but he had been ran off before the Giro near his town, Cesenatico,..........in a mountainous giro that was suposed to be designed for him.........he los t it...........Rominger won easily, than to a team Gewiss fight between Berzin and Ugrumov ( and a superb first part of the race).........who knows if Pantani could have raced that giro....

Pantani recovered little by little, and won the queen stage of the Tour of Switzerland......he was ready for the Tour.

But when Marco faced the Alps, he was far in the overall, due to the time lost in time trials............he could ressist the pace of Indurain on the slopes of la Plagne and lost 2'30" more, being with Gotti..............Indurain lost 2 minutes to Zulle but performed superbly

There were three incredible days for Indurain. Lieja, Seraing and la Plagne

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.........three stages that ended with the Spanish champion like the overall leader, and the only favourite to win............he was close to Anquetil, Merckx e Hinault..........

Then the 10th stage arrived, 12th of July 1995, and three great climbs, Hors Categorie, Madeleine, Croix de Fer and Alpe D´Huez.................a day for brave riders...............


It was a hard stage, and the previous day had been really tough....with la Plagne stage.

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It was a quiet stage on the Madeleine...................but Berzin dropped and said good bye to the Tour ( like the previous day in la Plagne)................he quit in the feed zone of the valley before Croix de Fer.


The Russian didn´t sacrifice, and prefered watching the stage inside his team car.

One of the the key moments took place on the Croix de Fer. A dangerous group left the field............with Virenque, Jalabert, Gotti and Dufoux there........

Virenque was first in the summit and was taking advantage in the polka dot jersey.........the breakaway ran, and it seemed that we could have a winner of the stage there

´The bunch  lead by Banesto crossed the summit 1'25" behind them.

The previous year, 1994, Conti won the stage thanks to a breakaway

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.......Pantani left the favourites grou on the Alpe, but it was too late, the gap was very big and he only could gain time to Virenque , Leblanc , indurain and de Las Cuevas...

The shadow of a similar end was rounding the spectators, when something happened, Carrera tea took the first positions of the field, they rode with Banesto riders i the valley and they controlled the breakaway...........they were working for Pantani..............in Bourg d Oisans, at the bottom of the Alpe, the difference was only 55"................the shaved headed Italian was going to have an opportunity to win in the Dutch mountain..

And with a little less than 13 kilometers left, a rocket left the field.....................it was Pantani....he accelerated as if there were only 200 meters to the finish line, nothing mattered to him, he just wanted to succeed......and if it was possible a prestigious victory....he was close to the breakaway, that Gotti had just left...........

Behind him Madouas and Rijs jumped from Indurain´s group, while Banesto was still leading it........not too long. Rominger was dropped again and Pantani caught the breakaway and then jumped to take Gotti and flew alone to the summit .

Pantani needed only some seconds to leave Gotti..........and was close to make History in the Tour...........Alpe DHuez could be his first win in he Tour, and victory in the most famous climb of professional cyclist..........

Indurain accelerated with Zulle, but the difference was 1'30" at that moment. Rijs advantage was 30"..........the Sapniard was going to concede only the stage ( Marco would have won anyway but with a shorter margin perhaps)...........no presents for Rijs...........



The Italian flew, the victory could be his, behind, Indurain caught Rijs, who was with Escartín, Virenque,etc .

Marco´s advantage was 1 minte and thirty seconds approximately.............suddenly, with 7 kilometrs left, Indurain accelerated to fight withthe Italian till the finish line...........only Zulle and Rijs resisted.......

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....but Pantani was on his own...........

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The kilometers passed and the difference was around the 1'30" with Indurain knowing that Pantani was not a contender at the moment, but showing the strength of the best form in his career...........those 4 days were the bet of Indurain ever.


And then was the last curve, the fourth Italian win in this summit in the last five years ( 2 with Bugno and another with Conti) was obvious..................but then the impossible hapenned..........Pantani missed the curve and lost the thrack, memories from Guzet Neige 88 came back............but fortunately for Pantani his advantage was relaxing and he only lost some seconds.............he sprinted and won......his first stage victory in the Tour in a special summit for him  ..........5h13'14".....there was a new record of the climb, 36'50"........

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...1'24" laterr, Indurain arrived with Zulle on his wheel and Rijs suffering some meters behind.

Pantani was making impression, being in the 7th position overall.......Indurain had sentenced the Tour.

Later in the Massif Central the ONCE squad performed superbly in the route to Mende, especially Mauri and Jalabert........with ndurain sufering in a very difficult day for Banesto and his leader.........

Pantani won again in Guzet Neige in the Pyrenees ( humiliating Rominger), but when he was getting closer to the podium, the stage of Cauterets took place..............and Fabio Casartelli´s death on the descent of the Portet de Aspet........

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Pantani felt terrible and lost more than 13 minutes to the winner Virenque, and 11 to Indurain , Rijs and Zulle.......it had been a terrible lose for the Pirate.

The stage to Pau was cancelled, and Pantani finished the Tour with two stages and the white jersey ( best young rider ) in the 13th position more than 26 minutes ahead of Indurain , who tied Anquetil, Merckx and Hinault............but Marco had lost a friend...........later that season Marco tried to honour Savoldelli winning the Worlds..........he was third.

Pantani would come back in 1997, he won ina similar way after being injured before the Tour, and after losing the 1996 season ( he had to retire of the 1997 Giro because of a black cat............unlucky Marco......)

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It was clear that this climb was one of Pantani´s favourites, he used to exploit there, he lost his paranoias there............he was almost invencible.

He would never have the choice to climb Alpe D´Huez in the Tour, because he only took part in the 1998 and 2000 editions, and it wasn´t climb then. However, this mountain, who was recognised as the Dutch mountain, had turned into Pantani´s temple................one of the best climbers ever,a romantic rider.......

It´s for this and other things that