The Tour Is Won on the Alpe: Alpe d'Huez and the Classic Battles of the Tour de France (Photography)

L'Alpe d'Huez represents the pinnacle of cycling achievement, and has served as the penultimate hurdle for competitors in the Tour de France 25 times since 1952. With 21 hairpin turns and an average gradient of 8.1 percent, L'Alpe d'Huez stands as a legendary rite of passage. In this authoritative book, cycling historian Jean-Paul Vespini describes the experience of this remarkable challenge, and recounts the ascents of many cycling legends, including Fausto Coppi, Eddy Merckx, Bernard Hinault, Pedro Delgado, Miguel Indurain, Marco Pantani, Greg Lemond, and Lance Armstrong. Weaving these feats of athleticism with little-known cycling lore and full-color photography, this fascinating history embodies the most treasured aspect of Le Tour: physical prowess and determination.