The听mountains of the Tour de France determine the winner of the stage race. It isn't until听the peloton hits the听craggy peaks of the Alps and Pyrenees that the GC starts to shake out and it becomes clear who the strongest riders are.听If you've ever wondered how you'd听stand up to those leg-burning听beasts, you're in luck. (And you don't even have to travel听to Europe.)听We took four iconic听climbs of the 2016 Tour and compared them to U.S.听ascents. Hill climb, anyone?听
Col du Tourmalet to听Mount Baldy Road, Claremont, California
The听Tourmalet听is the most climbed pass in the history of the Tour,听with 78 ascents including two different stages in both 1974 and 2010. The Mount听Baldy听climb in southern California is a hallmark of the听Amgen听Tour of California. It's steep at the bottom and the top,听with a heart-breaking听kicker to the finish. An听ascent under two hours is considered fast. Under an hour and you're听Tour-caliber.听
Col du Tourmalet
Length: 11.8 mi
Base elevation: 2312
Summit elevation:听6938
Total gain: 4626 听听 听
础惫别谤补驳别听驳谤补诲别: 7.4%
Max grade: 11%
Mount Baldy
Length: 12.9 mi
Base elevation: 1644听蹿迟
Summit elevation: 6419听蹿迟
Total gain: 4775听ft 听听
础惫别谤补驳别听驳谤补诲别: 7.0%
Max grade: 15%
Col d'Aspin to听Rabbit Ears Pass, Steamboat Springs, Colorado
While the Col听d'Aspin听doesn't have the huge elevation gains of the听Tourmalet听or听Ventoux,听it's consistent 6.5 percent听grade has exposed the weaknesses of Tour contenders since its听first inclusion in 1910. Rabbit Ears Pass offers the same steady grade as it climbs out of Steamboat Springs to its western听summit. A time under 45 minutes is excellent.听Under one hour and you're at the top of the amateur pack.
Col d'Aspin
Length: 7.3 mi
Base elevation: 2312听ft
Summit elevation: 4888听ft
Total gain: 257听6ft 听听 听
础惫别谤补驳别听驳谤补诲别: 6.5%
Max grade: 9.5%
Rabbit Ears Pass听(West)
Length: 7.4 mi
Base Elevation: 6925 ft
Summit elevation: 9394听ft
Total gain: 2469听ft
础惫别谤补驳别听驳谤补诲别: 6.3%
Max grade: 8%
Mont Ventoux to听Onion Valley Road, Independence, California
Mont听Ventoux听is nicknamed the Giant of Provence for good reason. From听Bedoin,听on its south side,听the听landscape looks lunar, providing听little respite from the long, unrelenting ascent. Onion Valley Road is considered one of the hardest climbs in the country.听The altitude, summer heat,听and steep, relentless听grade make this a genuine听sufferfest. Bring low gears.听If you can tackle this beast in under two hours, consider racing in Europe.听
Mont Ventoux
Length: 13.3 mi
Base elevation: 984听ft
Summit elevation: 6272听ft
Total gain: 5288听ft 听听 听
础惫别谤补驳别听驳谤补诲别: 7.5%
Max grade: 12%
Onion Valley Road
Length: 12.5 mi
Base elevation: 3994 ft
Summit elevation: 9163 ft
Total gain: 5169听ft 听听 听
Average grade: 7.8%
Max grade: 12%
Col de la Ramaz to听Little Cottonwood Canyon, Salt Lake City, Utah
The Col de la听Ramaz听is gaining popularity,听having appeared in three of the past 13 Tours.听It has a particularly nasty section of 9 to听11 percent grade, much of听which is inside a tunnel.听The Little Cottonwood Canyon climb,听a fixture of the Tour of Utah for many years, has听like the听Ramaz, a section in the middle called Tanner Flat that's听especially taxing. Completing the ascent in under an hour is exceptional. If you can do it under and hour and a half,听you're still听looking good.听
Col de la Ramaz
Length: 8.6 mi
Base elevation: 2076听ft
Summit elevation: 5311听ft
Total gain: 3235 ft 听听 听
Average grade: 7.1%
Max grade: 11%
Little Cottonwood Canyon
Length: 8.6 mi
Base elevation: 5140 ft
Summit elevation: 8530 ft
Total gain: 3390 ft
Average grade: 7.5%
Max grade: 10%