By Stephen Lacey
I’m huffing and puffing up one of the most iconic climbs in cycling folklore: the Alpe D’Huez in the French Alps. The mountain is a mainstay of the Tour de France and it’s definitely one that separates the sprinters from the climbers. Who can ever forget Marco Pantani’s battle with Jan Ullrich in 1997? This is a mountain climb on which legends are made.
I won’t be joining them at the rate I’m going. My jersey is drenched with sweat as I make my way around another of the 21 hairpin bends that comprise the 13.8-kilometre ascent to the summit, 1860 metres above sea level.
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