Cycling
Looking to pit yourself against the continent’s hardest hills? These excruciatingly fun road routes will take you through hell and high water, and everywhere else in between.
Europe is a road cyclist’s paradise. And, while there’s the small matter of some water between the UK and the rest of the continent, in relative terms, it’s located right on your doorstep.
From beautiful mountain passes to routes hugging some of the best beaches in the northern hemisphere, there’s everything here you could possibly want. That said, a leisurely ride along a beachfront is a bit, well, mundane, isn’t it?
The true road aficionado knows that the best part of the sport is getting your heart rate racing, and that feeling of overcoming something truly challenging when all is said and done. And what, in the world of road cycling, could be more challenging than some nice, big hills?
If you’re looking for the toughest on the continent, look no further than this compendium of Europe’s most difficult road cycling climbs. All promise unparalleled beauty, new cultural appreciations, and unrivalled pain. Time to grab your passport and saddle up.
1. Passo Stelvio, Italy
Length: 24km
Total elevation gain: 1,817m
Start point: Prato Allo Stelvio
End point: Passo Stelvio
This brutal, bucket list climb invites you to tackle an incredible 48 hairpin bends between Prato and the mountain’s summit. Over the course of the slog, you’ll climb 2,757m, covering the last 5km at a (literally) breathtaking altitude of more than 2,000m above sea level.
In fact, the altitude is such that for the majority of the year, you may well find snow and ice blocking your way (so it’s best sticking to summer if you’re planning to put yourself through it). The gradient may be soul destroying, but according to former Italian pro Ivan Basso, the climb is a “must”, with its altitude, length and gradient making it “one of the hardest climbs there is”.
2. Col du Galibier, France
Length: 18km
Total elevation gain: 1,245m
Start point: Valloire
End point: Col du Galibier
The first time the Col du Galibier featured in the Tour de France was July 1911. That day, just three riders managed to power their single-speed bikes up to the summit without dismounting and walking. Framed by the jagged peaks of the Dauphiné Alps, the Galibier is no longer part of the Tour, having been retired in 2011, exactly a century after its debut. But, of course, that doesn’t mean it isn’t well worth your time.
With a highpoint of 2,646m, the 18km Galibier route makes other mountain passes in the modern-day Tour seem like child’s play. The iconic Pyrenean climb of Col du Tourmalet rests at an altitude 500m lower and is just half as long, while the beloved Alpe d’Huez is 5km shorter and has half the elevation gain. There are two routes to the top of the Glibber, and if you want to up the ante, you can also throw the nearby Col du Telegraphe (4.8km at an average 3 percent gradient) into the mix. No wonder Henry Desgrange, founder of the Tour, once said the Col du Galibier makes all other climbs look like “gnat’s piss”.
3. Mount Teide, Tenerife
Length: 45km
Total elevation gain: 2,400m
Start point: Puerto de la Cruz
End point: Teide Cable Car
Tenerife may be better known for its ex-pats slowly turning the colour of plum tomatoes, but it is, in fact, home to the highest peak in Spain. At 3,718m above sea level, Mount Teide is a brutal climb – up the side of an active volcano, no less. The route to the highest paved point on the island will take you from baking sea level to the rarified air of the top of the mountain (and the Spanish nation) via 2,400m of elevation.
The route is so testing that it’s believed that training on the climb is what ensured Bradley Wiggins won the Tour de France in 2012. And, according to Shane Sutton, former head coach at Team Sky, the higher points are as barren as the moon: “At the top, there’s nothing except a twisted, volcanic landscape, but towards the bottom, it’s nicely tree-lined and the views are breathtaking.”
4. Grossglockner, Austria
Length: 19.5km
Total elevation gain: 1,266m
Start point: Pockhorn
End point: Kaiser-Franz-Josefs-Höhe
The hardest part of the Grossglockner route isn’t trying to pronounce it (it’s actually pronounced exactly as it’s written), but dealing with the 3,798m above sea level altitude. The highest mountain in Austria, and the highest in the Alps east of the Brenner Pass, it is one of Europe’s highest cycling climbs. To make life easier, it’s chockfull of hairpin bends and cobbles. Yes, cobbles!
Frequently featured in the Tour of Austria, the 19.5km route rewards iron-thighed cyclists with unparalleled rugged views, crisp ascents and oodles of fresh air, which your gasping lungs will gratefully receive. In fact, the air can be so fresh that drastic changes in weather are not uncommon, so it’s best to plan ahead.
5. Rila, Bulgaria
Length: 14.5km
Total elevation gain: 1,700m
Start point: Pastra
End point: Rila
When it comes to road cycling destinations, the Balkan nation of Bulgaria might not be the first country that comes to mind. But located in south eastern Europe, it is very much an under-appreciated gem. Take, for instance, the Rila mountain range, the highest in the Balkan peninsula. Starting at a modest 800m above sea level, gravel road trail pulls you up 2,500m from the mountain village of Pastra, located roughly 15km away.
Like the stunning views, the gradient is nothing to pooh-pooh, either. The average gradient is a challenging 11.7 percent, but it can reach knee-trembling heights of 20 percent in certain parts. Just try to occasionally take in the scenery while you’re desperately gasping for breath.
6. Grimselpass – Switzerland
Length: 26.7km
Total elevation gain: 1,538m
Start point: Innertkirchen
End point: Grimselpass
Switzerland and mountains go together like fish and chips. If you haven’t had the pleasure up close, the Grimselpass really is something to boast about. At an elevation of 2,164m, it crosses the Bernese Alps and connects the Haslital, the upper valley of the river Aare and the upper valley of the Rhône, and is often featured in the Tour de Suisse.
Starting the climb in the small town of Innertkirchen, the road hugs the river Aare and the climbing kicks in in earnest after about 10km. The scenery, of course, is stunning, with granite mountains and two huge reservoirs to take in. Do note, however, that the pass is often closed between October and May due to excessive snowfall.
7. Hardknott Pass, United Kingdom
Length: 2.3km
Elevation: 299m
Start point: Eskdale
End point: Hardknott Pass
While Britain might not have the Alpine climbs seen on the continent, that doesn’t mean you can’t get the lactic acid pumping through your legs a bit closer to home. Located in the picturesque county of Cumbria, Hardknott Pass is just 2.3km in length. But don’t scoff; its switchbacks are incredibly steep – sometimes reaching a gradient of 33 percent – and there will be plenty of moments when you want to just get off.
While your burning legs may thank you when it comes to the descent, your head and heart won’t; it’s equally as terrifying as the ascent is daunting.
8. Puig Major, Mallorca
Length: 24km
Total elevation gain: 1,492m
Start point: Port de Sóller
End point: Puig Major
Time to swap one type of red-faced Brits for another as you tackle the highest point on the holiday island. Part of the Serra de Tramontana mountain range, Puig Major and its surrounding peaks stretch across the north of the island with Puig Major itself reaching heights of 1,492m. Starting near sea-level you’ll ditch the holiday cocktails for a six percent average gradient over 24km.
In fact, the route is so renowned that it is frequently used in the island’s Trofeo Serra de Tramontana race. The ideal location, then, for a sunny Spanish blowout.
9. Trollstigen, Norway
Length: 55km
Total elevation gain: 1,170m
Start point: Åndalsnes
End point: Valldal
Think of Norway and idyllic mountain roads, stunning fjords and icy waterfalls probably come to mind. Trollstigen – a serpentine mountain pass in the Rauma Municipality – has all of this in bucketfuls, and more. Translated as “the troll’s ladder”, the 55km road connects the town of Åndalsnes in Rauma to the village of Valldal in Norddal Municipality.
Whichever location you begin in, it isn’t the distance or the steepness of the route that will take your breath away, but the aforementioned stunning vistas. A word of warning, though: while few trolls frequent the route, in the summer season more than 2,000 cars pass the Trollstigveien Plateau, which equates to one car every ten seconds.
10. Passo Valparola, Italy
Length: 13.9km
Total elevation gain: 802m
Start point: La Villa
End point: Valparola Pass
Valparola is a high mountain pass in the Dolomites, located in the province of Belluno, and often features as the last pass in the Maratona dles Dolomites single-day race that attracts over 9,000 riders from 70 countries annually. That said, it’s probably not your usual idea of a nice day out. With an average gradient of 6.7 percent, the route climbs up to 2,168m over 13km (with some sections hitting a 15 percent gradient). While that makes for stunning views of the Dolomites, it also makes for some of the most taxing road cycling in Europe.
And fun fact: prior to WW1, there was just a rough trail over the pass, but this changed when the area was heavily fought over during the war. Today, a remaining fort has been made into a museum. Not that you’ll care as you breathlessly power past, head down, eyes on your handlebars, praying for it all to end.
