How Long Will Alpe d'Huez Take Me? Climb Times by Watts per Kilo
How long Alpe d'Huez takes at 2 to 5 watts per kilo, with a climb-times table for a 72 kg rider, a Mont Ventoux comparison and three ways to climb faster.
In this post
Every rider who has watched the Tour wonders the same thing: how long would Alpe d'Huez take me? The answer depends mostly on one number, your power-to-weight ratio in watts per kilo (W/kg). Here's how to work it out, with real numbers.
The climb
From Bourg d'Oisans, Alpe d'Huez climbs 13.8 km at an average of 8.1%, with 21 hairpin bends and about 1,100 m of elevation gain. At that gradient, gravity is by far the biggest thing you're fighting: around 90% of your effort goes into lifting you and your bike, with only a little lost to rolling resistance and air.
Estimated times by watts per kilo
We ran the numbers through our climb time estimator for a 72 kg rider on a 9 kg bike, riding on the hoods with no wind:
| W/kg | Average power | Time | Average speed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.0 | 144 W | 1:51 | 7.4 km/h |
| 2.5 | 180 W | 1:30 | 9.2 km/h |
| 3.0 | 216 W | 1:15 | 11.0 km/h |
| 3.5 | 252 W | 1:05 | 12.7 km/h |
| 4.0 | 288 W | 0:58 | 14.4 km/h |
| 5.0 | 360 W | 0:47 | 17.6 km/h |
For context, a fit club rider holds somewhere around 2.5 to 3.5 W/kg for an hour. Breaking the hour on the Alpe takes roughly 4 W/kg, which is serious amateur territory. The pros at the end of a Tour stage are closer to 6 W/kg.
What about Mont Ventoux?
From Bédoin, Ventoux is 21.1 km at 7.5%. The same 72 kg rider at 3 W/kg would take about 1 hour 48 minutes, or about 2 hours 8 minutes at 2.5 W/kg. It's longer, and the exposed top section is often windy, so pace yourself.
How to get your own estimate
- Open the climb time estimator and tap a famous climb, or enter any climb's length and gradient.
- Enter your weight, your bike's weight and the average power you can hold for that long. Don't have a power meter? Use "Find my power" with a time from Strava for a climb you know, then try that power on the big one.
- Open "Position, surface and wind" if you want to factor in a headwind or rough roads.
Three ways to go faster uphill
- Pace it evenly. Starting 20% too hard on the first ramps costs far more time later than it saves.
- Get the gearing right. If you're grinding below 70 rpm, you'll tire sooner. Our gear calculator shows which gear you need to hold a comfortable cadence.
- Weight matters, but less than you think. At 216 W, each kilo you lose saves about 50 seconds on the Alpe. Fitness is worth much more.
Wear the climb
Our Climbs jerseys are drawn from the mountains: the Mont Ventoux Mistral jersey and TOUGH / After the Climb. Got a climb of your own? Your Ride turns your route and its real elevation profile into a jersey.
Planning a trip with your club? Turn up in matching kit: our Kit Designer lets you design it in minutes, and customization is free on every order.
