Comments on: What system or rule is used to give a hill or mountain a category in the Tour De France? http://letourdesblogs.net/uncategorized/what-system-or-rule-is-used-to-give-a-hill-or-mountain-a-category-in-the-tour-de-france Information on biking. Wed, 22 Dec 2010 12:41:22 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: CammyCyclismo http://letourdesblogs.net/uncategorized/what-system-or-rule-is-used-to-give-a-hill-or-mountain-a-category-in-the-tour-de-france/comment-page-1#comment-1681 CammyCyclismo Sun, 17 Jan 2010 00:05:59 +0000 http://letourdesblogs.net/tour-de-france/what-system-or-rule-is-used-to-give-a-hill-or-mountain-a-category-in-the-tour-de-france#comment-1681 I read an interview by a TDF director that it was to do with which gear the Tour Director's car was in to go up it, and if it overheated or stalled it was given an HC category!<br><b>References : </b><br> I read an interview by a TDF director that it was to do with which gear the Tour Director’s car was in to go up it, and if it overheated or stalled it was given an HC category!
References :

]]> By: kalaka http://letourdesblogs.net/uncategorized/what-system-or-rule-is-used-to-give-a-hill-or-mountain-a-category-in-the-tour-de-france/comment-page-1#comment-1680 kalaka Sat, 16 Jan 2010 23:26:59 +0000 http://letourdesblogs.net/tour-de-france/what-system-or-rule-is-used-to-give-a-hill-or-mountain-a-category-in-the-tour-de-france#comment-1680 The categories are assigned subjectively based on: length of the climb altitude difference from bottom to top average (and steepest) grade summit elevation climb's position on the stage (early or late) width and conditions of the road After considering all these factors, the Tour's director sportif makes his recommendations after driving over the stage routes a couple of months before the race. Also, the Tour is supposed to be TOUGH, so what might be a Cat 2 climb in Le Tour might be a Cat 1 in another race. Typically for the Tour, Category 4 is an easy, short climb. Category 3 is the easiest "real" climb - ie, 5km at a 5% grade. Category 2 is about as tough as you could ever see here in the states. (Something like 5km at a grade of 8-8.5%) Category 1 typically a long climb (15 - 20+ km) at a not too steep grade - 5-6%. Hors Category is long and steep. The altitude difference is at least 1000km and an average grade of 7% or more.<br><b>References : </b><br>http://bicycling.about.com/od/tourdefrance/f/tdfclimbs.htm The categories are assigned subjectively based on:

length of the climb
altitude difference from bottom to top
average (and steepest) grade
summit elevation
climb’s position on the stage (early or late)
width and conditions of the road
After considering all these factors, the Tour’s director sportif makes his recommendations after driving over the stage routes a couple of months before the race. Also, the Tour is supposed to be TOUGH, so what might be a Cat 2 climb in Le Tour might be a Cat 1 in another race.

Typically for the Tour, Category 4 is an easy, short climb.
Category 3 is the easiest "real" climb – ie, 5km at a 5% grade.
Category 2 is about as tough as you could ever see here in the states. (Something like 5km at a grade of 8-8.5%)
Category 1 typically a long climb (15 – 20+ km) at a not too steep grade – 5-6%.
Hors Category is long and steep.

The altitude difference is at least 1000km and an average grade of 7% or more.
References :
http://bicycling.about.com/od/tourdefrance/f/tdfclimbs.htm

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