Preparation guide · Montée de l'Alpe d'Huez (bike category)
Montée de l'Alpe d'Huez 2027: how to climb it and what to eat and drink
The next edition is on Wednesday 16 June 2027 (provisional date: the organisers haven't confirmed it yet; in 2026 it was held on 17 June. Start time is indicative), starting in Bourg d'Oisans (Alps, France) at 9:00. Here you have the route of Montée de l'Alpe d'Huez, its climbs, the usual weather and how much to eat and drink for your target time.
Montée de l'Alpe d'Huez: route and profile
Official tourist track of the climb, trimmed to the ascent (the event's own, 15 km and +1,100 m officially, may vary slightly); sections measured on the track, approximate km.
| Climb | Where | Length | Gain | Average grade | Top |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alpe d'Huez | km 1–16 | 14.7 km | +1125 m | 7.6 % | 1,837 m |
The climb, section by section
| Section | Length | What it's like and how to climb it |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Bourg d'Oisans km 0 | 1.8 km | Flat along the Romanche valley to the foot of the climb (720 m). The hardest part starts right after the flat, with no transition: arrive already warm (15–20 minutes of easy riding before the start, with a few short pick-ups). On the flat, ride easy and drink. |
| 2. Curvas 21 a 17 km 1.8 | 2.2 km avg 10.2 % · max 12.5 % | The opening ramp: from 727 to 961 m, over 10 % on average; hairpin 21 is at 806 m. The steepest part of the whole climb. This is where half the field blows up: start below your target power (5–10 % less) even if people pass you. Easiest gear from the start, cadence above 70 and seated. What you «save» here you get back with interest higher up. |
| 3. Curvas 16 a 12 (La Garde) km 4 | 2.3 km avg 8.3 % · max 9.3 % | From 961 to 1,160 m. At La Garde (hairpin 16) there are about 200 easier metres; after hairpin 15 it steepens again for over 1 km. Feed station at La Garde. Use the La Garde breather to bring your heart rate down, drink and take a gel, without stopping. Then settle at your target power, steady: this is the section to find the rhythm you'll hold to the top. |
| 4. Curvas 11 a 7 (Ribot y Dutch Corner) km 6.3 | 2.1 km avg 8.7 % · max 10.1 % | From 1,160 to 1,352 m, through Le Ribot up to the Huez church, home of hairpin 7, the Dutch fans' «Dutch Corner». Feed station at hairpin 10. A steady section, slightly harder than the last: don't get carried away by the atmosphere at hairpin 7. If you're on the limit, drop 5 % of power; if you're feeling good, don't push yet. |
| 5. Huez (curva 6) km 8.4 | 1.5 km avg 7.8 % · max 8.6 % | From 1,352 to 1,477 m: Huez village, slightly gentler, with water at Saint-Ferréol and a feed station in Huez. The kindest section before the hard finish: drink, take your last gel (with caffeine if you use it) and relax your shoulders and hands. Get back to your target power before hairpin 5. |
| 6. Curvas 5 a 1 km 9.9 | 2.7 km avg 8.3 % · max 9.7 % | From 1,477 to 1,710 m: the last hairpins, almost as hard as the start; hairpin 1 is at 1,713 m. Feed station at hairpin 2. This is where your time is decided. If you've held back, now is the moment to raise power 3–5 %; if not, keep your cadence and count the hairpins down. Seated on the ramps, standing only for a few seconds to stretch your back. |
| 7. Vieil Alpe y llegada km 12.6 | 2.4 km avg 5.1 % · max 8.6 % | From 1,710 to 1,840 m: the finish eases (5 % on average) through Vieil Alpe, a tunnel and the resort, to the line between two roundabouts. As the gradient eases, shift to a smaller sprocket and accelerate: minutes are won or lost in these 2.4 km. Watch the roundabouts and the finish, which is fast. At the top, dry clothes and something warm before descending: at 1,850 m it gets chilly. |
Route keys
- 15 km from Bourg d'Oisans: almost 2 km of flat and 13.8 km of climbing at close to 8 % on average (published maximum 14 %), about 1,120 m up to the 1,840 m finish. It's a personal time trial: pick a power you can hold the whole way, not the one you can hold for the first 5 minutes.
- The hardest part comes right at the start: from hairpin 21 to 17 it's over 10 %. This is where people overdo the watts. Start 5–10 % below your target and build gradually: the finish eases and that's where you win back time.
- How to work out your power: if you'll take under an hour, around 95–100 % of your FTP; between one hour and an hour and a half, 88 to 95 %; over an hour and a half, 80 to 88 %. In WinWatts you pick your time and we give you the power and how close it is to what you can sustain.
- Here watts per kilo rule: no wheel helps at 8 %. Every extra kilo (yours or the bike's) costs a few seconds per kilometre; and keep cadence above 70: better too easy a gear (34×32 or lighter) than grinding.
5 more keys in WinWatts: with the forecast for the days before, the wind and heat section by section, and on which climbs to eat and drink.
Montée de l'Alpe d'Huez: what to eat and drink
How much a typical rider (72 kg) needs depending on their time. From 2–3 hours on, what matters most is eating carbs regularly (every 20–30 minutes) and drinking before you're thirsty.
| Total time | Carbs per hour | Total carbs | Drink per hour | Total drink | Sodium per hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 h | 30 g/h | 0 g | 550 ml/h | 0.6 l | 450 mg/h |
| 1 h 15 | 30 g/h | 0 g | 550 ml/h | 0.7 l | 450 mg/h |
| 1 h 30 | 45 g/h | 35 g | 550 ml/h | 0.8 l | 450 mg/h |
| 1 h 45 | 45 g/h | 35 g | 550 ml/h | 1.0 l | 450 mg/h |
More than 60–90 g of carbs per hour only if you've trained it. Don't try on race day what you haven't tolerated in training.
Section by section between feed stations (for about 1 h 15)
At the feed stations (km 4, 7, 10, 12) you stop, eat something and refill your bottles. But what matters most is what you take on the move until the next one: this table tells you how much. You can pick it up at the station or carry your own gels and bars; what matters is spreading it out, not eating it all at once when you stop.
| Section | Duration | Carbs to take in the section | Drink in the section |
|---|---|---|---|
| km 0 → 4 | 0 h 17 | 20 g | 150 ml |
| km 4 → 7 | 0 h 17 | 20 g | 150 ml |
| km 7 → 10 | 0 h 13 | 15 g | 100 ml |
| km 10 → 12 | 0 h 10 | 10 g | 100 ml |
| km 12 → 15 | 0 h 18 | 25 g | 150 ml |
The key section is the first one: there's no feed station until km 4, so you leave Bourg d'Oisans with full bottles and about 20 g of carbs on you (for example, 1 gel).
Not going to take 1 h 15? In WinWatts you set your target time and the feed stations, and you see these sections with your real pace on each climb. You can also compare scenarios: what changes if you go faster or slower.
Montée de l'Alpe d'Huez: weather in mid-June
What the weather was like in mid-June in recent editions (in Bourg d'Oisans, at the foot of the climb):
| Year | Low | High | Rain | Max wind |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 25 ºC | 26 ºC | 0.0 mm | 6 km/h |
| 2023 | 17 ºC | 18 ºC | 0.0 mm | 6 km/h |
| 2024 | 23 ºC | 25 ºC | 0.0 mm | 3 km/h |
| 2025 | 20 ºC | 21 ºC | 0.0 mm | 5 km/h |
| 2026 | 22 ºC | 24 ºC | 0.0 mm | 4 km/h |
Your Montée de l'Alpe d'Huez, tailored to you
This guide uses a typical rider. In WinWatts we calculate it with your data:
- Your time, average power and finish time from your FTP and weight.
- The race-day forecast for each section, and what to wear.
- Your food and drink plan kilometre by kilometre, with your gels, bars and bottles.
- Your training plan until Wednesday 16 June 2027, adjusted every week to how you're doing.
WinWatts is not affiliated with the organisers of the Montée de l'Alpe d'Huez. Dates, routes, schedules and registration: official website. Profile measured on the official tourist track of the climb (trimmed to the ascent); feed stations from the 2026 event website; weather from past editions (Open-Meteo). For guidance only: it doesn't replace advice from a health professional.