Hors catégorie


Hors catégorie is a French term used in stage bicycle races to designate a climb that is "beyond categorization". The term was originally used for those mountain roads where cars were not expected to be able to pass.
The HC climb is the most difficult type of climb in a race. It is more demanding than a Category 1 climb which in turn is more demanding than a Category 2 climb and so on. The easiest category is Category 4.
These five categories are defined by their steepness and length. In addition, their position on the route can play a role. For instance, a climb that would normally be a Category 1 climb can become a HC climb if it is the final climb of a stage.
The average HC climb in the Tour de France from 2012 to 2016 is 16.1 kilometers long and has a grade of 7.4. There are around 7 HC climbs per Tour.

History

When the mountains classification in the Tour de France originated in the 1933 Tour de France, there was only one type of mountain. Points were given to the first cyclists to cross the mountains, starting with 10 points for the first cyclist, going down to 1 point for the tenth cyclist. After the Second World War, in the 1947 Tour de France, the mountains were divided into two categories, the first and the second category. The first category mountains gave 10 points to the first cyclist, similar to before 1939, and the second category mountains gave only 5 points to the first cyclist.
The division in categories was successful, and two years later, in 1949, the third category was added. These were even smaller mountains, which gave 3 points to the cyclist reaching the peak first.
In 1962, the fourth category was added. The points system was also revised: the first category now gave 15 points for the first cyclist, the second category 10 points, the third category 5 points and the fourth category 3 points.
Although the fourth category disappeared in 1963, it came back again in 1964. The system with four categories kept in place until 1978, although the points distribution changed over the years.
In 1979, four categories was considered not enough, and another category was added. Instead of adding a fifth category, the Tour organisation decided to add a hors catégorie.

Tour de France

The following climbs used in the Tour de France have been ranked "Hors catégorie" at least once.
ColHeight No. of times
visited		No. of HC
climbs		First time
as HC climb		Most recentProfileNotes
27442220082011The first appearance of the climb in 2008 wasn't planned initially, as the stage was designed to go through the Maddalena Pass. Due to a seismic risk on the pass, the route was changed three months before the start of the race and the Col Agnel was included.
1860302619792018In 2013, the Alpe d'Huez was visited twice on Stage 18, firstly crossing below the summit at 1765m before returning as the stage finish at the designated summit.
22403319972016
16552120132013In 1998, the Semnoz was part of the route and was a 1st category climb. However, during the stage, racers went on strike to protest against the excessive police measures. The stage, although fully completed, was declared void.
1709481419802012No. of times visited includes stage finishes at Gourette
17555520072017
17806619982015
28024219932008Highest Hors Catégorie climb to date.
17302220012014
2067191119892017Shares the same slopes from the col du Glandon on two sides.
2645582119792019Highest stage finish in the history of the Tour de France.
In 2015, the climb was scheduled to be used, but ultimately wasn't due to landslides. The Col de la Croix de Fer was used instead.
192413519812015
15013320122017
24655120092009
24131119861986
15605519942014
27706319922019
19001119931993
236035919862019
169112719812016
19804419842002
15732219962007
11601119841984Lowest Hors Catégorie climb to date.
23511120082008
17158819852011
1993251719802013
20835119991999
20015420052013
166910519812014The 1982 Tour de France finish was planned to end at another location, the Col de Portet, but was ultimately cancelled and the finish line was moved back to Pla d'Adet.
141513219831986Only climb in the Massif Central to have received the Hors Catégorie rating
15406219872006
147422119821982Usually climbed while descending the col d'Aubisque from its west side.
17706119861986
2115892719802016No. of times visited includes stage finishes at La Mongie.
23652219942019
190916719872016
16101120152015
19601120162016
17231120162016
13161120172017
15041120172017
22151120182018