It feels religious. There is a devil on the roadside, his tail seductively flickering. There is wine, the name Paul painted onto the tarmac, the old and the young worshipping together, but in what other faith is the road to heaven lined with Teletubbies, tandem bikes, and cars rocked by two dozen hands?

Alpe d’Huez is not one of France’s hardest climbs, or even one of its most beautiful — but its 21 hairpin bends, and the crowds that cling those laces like barnacles to a ship’s anchor, have made it the Tour’s most atmospheric.

Didi the Devil, a longstanding roadside presence at the Tour (Jacob Whitehead/The Athletic)

Without those fans, the ascent of the Alpe d’Huez is just a highway to a busy ski station; thicketed by forest, bearing a doll’s house of a church midway, and lined by wood-panelled Alpine restaurants.

And yet it is their presence that puts the existence of Alpe at risk, as a Tour de France climb at least. Whereas once the names of past winners that crown each bend were carved anew each year, the race has immortalised just three new riders in the past decade.

On Friday afternoon, Movistar’s Einer Rubio was forced to withdraw from the Tour, just two days from Paris, after a Team UAE Emirates car just ahead of him had to slam on its brakes due to the crowds blocking its path. The Colombian received 20 stitches in his face after smashing into the car’s back windscreen and was transferred to hospital in Grenoble.

This is not an isolated incident; merely the latest.

The Alpe’s own reputation, drawing crowds on Friday of almost half a million people from across Europe — and wider still — is now a noose tightening around its neck. Ahead of two successive summit finishes, The Athletic walked its 13.8km (8.5 miles), 1,100m (1,200 yards) of ascent, and 21 bends to discover its place in the modern Tour de France.

🫷 We love the crowd’s enthusiasm, but it mustn’t compromise the riders’ safety!

🫷 On adore l’enthousiasme du public, mais ça ne doit pas entraver la sécurité des coureurs ! #TDF2026 pic.twitter.com/EhLCvYYLV0

— Tour de France™ (@LeTour) July 24, 2026

A gendarme stretched his arm across the barriers. The riders turned around, looked for a tree against which to lock their bikes, and began their cleated trudge.

At the Alpe’s base, in the village of Le Bourg-d’Oisans, police have enforced the closure of the road since Thursday morning — initially to motor vehicles but now, as the race leaves the day’s start town of Gap, to cyclists too.

One woman pushing a pram uphill, bent at the waist, driving with her legs, overtakes on the Alpe’s lower slopes. So too a couple riding an ordinary single bike; the boy is on the pedals, the girl sat in front as if in a makeshift basket.

Watching the line stretch uphill is like observing a collective compulsion; salmon returning to their birthplace. But this mountain holds a special place in people’s hearts; it is the backdrop of summer, their memories of childhood. For others, it signifies their youth itself.

Support for new French hero Paul Seixas was very visible on Friday (Jacob Whitehead/The Athletic)

“It’s special for me because of my grandfather,” says Vincent, from the Paris suburbs, on the fifth bend. “I watched it on television with him, on his knees, every year. Now, it comes back less and less, so it was a dream of mine to make it here once. That has come true now.”

The Tour first visited the climb in 1952 at the behest of the hoteliers at its top, chief commissaire Élie Wermelinger driving to the summit for a meeting through winter snowdrifts.

Its first staging was won by the legendary Fausto Coppi that summer, but the race did not come back for 24 years. In 1976 it was won by Dutch climber Joop Zoetemelk, who held the record for most Tour de France races started and finished for decades, with 16 completions.

Winners of Alpe d’Huez stages get their names inscribed on one of the climb’s 21 hairpin bends (Jacob Whitehead/The Athletic)

Between that date and 2010, the Tour visited on 25 of its 34 opportunities as the Alpe cemented itself as the Tour’s greatest climb to generation after generation.

They saw Bernard Hinault crossing the line arm in arm with Greg LeMond, Marco Pantani’s 1997 record, and Lance Armstrong’s win four years later, staring back and into the soul of Jan Ulrich before attacking.

In the modern era, three consecutive Frenchmen won between 2011 and 2015 — Pierre Rolland, Christophe Riblon, and Thibaut Pinot — before Geraint Thomas christened it Welsh corner in 2018 and Tom Pidcock became the Alpe’s youngest ever winner in 2022, a stage still remembered for his thrilling descent of the Col du Galibier.

Two years ago, the Tour de France Femmes’ first visit delivered the finest stage in the mountain’s history, with Demi Vollering attacking to win the stage — but losing out on yellow to Kasia Niewadoma, doggedly holding on behind, by four seconds.

POV: You’re driving up Alpe d’Huez at the Tour de France…

…wait for the kilts 😂 pic.twitter.com/NiTTFQE3Pl

— Cycling on TNT Sports (@cyclingontnt) July 24, 2026

On each bend, names inscribed on plaques, the diversity of winners matches the diversity of its crowd. There are the flags of Mexico, Eritrea, and Kazakhstan, the counties, regions, and states of Sardinia, Yorkshire, and California.

“I’ve been here speaking Spanish, speaking German, speaking English,” adds Vincent. “People from Costa Rica, from Mexico, from Guatemala. The ambience is wonderful.”

Lower down the mountain, just after the Beefeaters marshalling its second corner, are Florida father and son Fred and Nate, both wearing matching Friesian cow lycra.

“I’ve dreamed of this stage since I was 13 years old watching Greg LeMond,” says Fred. “Laurent Fignon and Bernard Hinault too. Back then, we only got 10-minute clips on Saturdays and Sundays. There was something about this mountain. I’m now 53, so it was time to do it.”

As the road climbs, so does the phantasmagoria. The sights become a heatwave hallucination. Sliding down from the cliffs above a bend, a woman accidentally kicks the trunk of an entire tree into the road. There are two dancing caricatures of Tadej Pogacar on Swiss Corner, dancing to Europop.

Hinault corner went for a pirate-themed approach (Jacob Whitehead/Tour de France)

On the corner devoted to Bernard Hinault, the Pirates of the Caribbean’s Captain Jack Sparrow shares beers with the Speedo-clad dweller of a paddling pool. Four friends play a strategy card game, in the middle of the road, under a parasol.

A rider teeters up the hill, chased by a man wearing a Portugal flag as a cape. He has an open bottle of wine. “Drink, my friend. Wine!” He is shooed away, but does not give up. “You need energy!” The cyclist takes the bottle and sips with both hands on the glass.

Happiness right here 🙌…All nationalities, young and old partying together, enjoying the sport we love and respecting each other ❤️ pic.twitter.com/hk277zCJAy

— Beefeater Bend🎶🍻 (@tdfbeefeaters) July 24, 2026

One of the Alpe’s quirks are the distinct characters of its corners; many aligned to a particular nationality. Traditionally, Dutch Corner, midway up the climb, has been its rowdiest, filled with a swaying orange pulp — the nation having enjoyed particular success on these slopes, landing eight of the first 14 wins. Once, the Dutch minister of the church on its inside would ring its bells for every Dutch win.

This year, however, it has been cordoned off owing to the sheer number of fans that congregate on its wide obtuse arc. This is not a muted feeling, that goes too far for music blared at 100 decibels, but it is not the unconstrained excess of previous years.

Fans crowd the road during the day, there is barely more room for the riders to pass through later in the afternoon (Jacob Whitehead/The Athletic)

Dirk, making his third visit to the corner, is proud of its appearance this year. “It’s organized,” he says. “I hope it’s still like this when the cyclists come over. It’s a tradition being here, so that’s why we’re over and join together in Dutch Corner.”

They want Netcompany-INEOS’ Thymen Arensman, who they explain is nicknamed The Eagle, after his first name’s meaning in Dutch. “We hope he’s going to fly,” they say. A few hours later, he passes in the day’s breakaway.

Norwegian Corner, quickly blending into Danish Curve, is the rowdiest bend on this year’s ascent. A purple flare darkens the sky as the thickness of the crowd causes cars to slow, then, when stationary, each is rocked from side to side by a dozen revellers on each side. They are released, dazed, and immediately required to perform a steep hill start. The only smell is the acridity of burning clutches.

Meanwhile on 🇫🇷 Alpe d’Huez…

🎥 colin_1105 pic.twitter.com/fbcD7QETs5

— Domestique (@Domestique___) July 24, 2026

Further up still, on the final straight before the final four kilometres begin, is the most hectic area — fans seemingly drawn for their ability to get close to the riders. As a group of recreational riders pass, clad in the kit of Tour sponsors Continental Tires, they are swarmed and pushed up the hill, forced through a guard of honor — if honor involves your eyes stinging with beer, that is.

From there, it is behind the safety of the barriers. Dieter Senft, more commonly known as Didi the Devil, is arguably the most famous fan at the Tour, a man who fell in love after secretly accessing it on West German television from his East German home. He gives a cheery wave and a wink; he will be leaping next to the riders in just over an hour’s time.

The climb then passes through Huez village and up through meadows to its ski station; busy town not mountain now, shouldered by expensive ski gear outlets rather than sheer cliffs. After the flamme rouge marking one kilometre to go, the race’s passage is near and tight and flat.

Tumbling over the line, the sky spins and oxygen debt calls in her bills; a plaque, for someone, awaits.

For many fans, riding up the Alpe on race day is an unforgettable experience (Jacob Whitehead/The Athletic)

For some, the reality of Alpe d’Huez undercuts its romance. Visma-Lease a Bike’s Richard Plugge is one of the most outspoken team bosses in the sport, especially on topics including rider safety and financial reform. For him, Alpe d’Huez encapsulates both.

“I can only hope the fans behave along the roadside because it’s becoming more and more of a problem,” he told HLN on Thursday. “They have no idea what they’re doing. If they do it in front of a rider, their life is in danger.

“A lot of people think they’re partying, they drink beer all day and, at some point, they lose their heads. It’s a real problem for me. I think access to certain mountain passes should be subject to a fee.”

His argument is built on the examples of years past. In 1977, Lucien van Impe lost the opportunity to take yellow after being driven into by a car. Then, in 1999, Giuseppe Guerini was knocked off his bike by a fan taking a photograph, yet rose from the tarmac to take the stage win. Five years later, the time trial descended into farce as riders were pushed towards the summit.

Quand un couillon avait failli coûter la victoire à Giuseppe Guerini sur l’Alpe d’Huez (Tour 1999). pic.twitter.com/IouZVLhFHX

— David Guénel (@davidguenel) July 13, 2022

More recently, in 2018, former winner Vincenzo Nibali was forced to abandon after breaking his collarbone four kilometres from the summit due to a supporter bottleneck. He was just 30 seconds off the podium. Scores of other riders have had attacks disrupted or seen their progress slowed.

That is part of the reason why the Amaury Sport Organisation (ASO), the Tour’s organisers, have visited so infrequently in recent years, and it is understood they have previously been threatened with legal action by riders who have suffered injuries due to spectator behaviour. In part, their embrace of the Jura and Vosges mountain ranges has been triggered by these Alpine issues.

On Friday, breakaway leader Richard Carapaz experienced three near misses, yellow jersey Tadej Pogacar had to sweep fans out of his way, while Remco Evenepoel found the path of his acceleration, aimed to secure second place, blocked by a moto which had been forced to slow.

GET OUT OF THE WAY 🤬

Tadej Pogačar was having to part a MASSIVE sea of fans on his path to victory on Alpe d’Huez 🌊

🇫🇷 #TDF2026 | July 5-July 27 | Every Stage on SBS 📺 pic.twitter.com/lVSFrlxu6l

— SBS Sport (@SBSSportau) July 24, 2026

“I was blocked by the fans and the motorcycles,” Evenepoel said post-stage. “It’s a shame that I can’t finish the attack in one go, because that would have given a different result.”

Rubio’s injuries were the most severe. Asked if they would pursue any remediation after their rider’s crash, Movistar declined to comment.

🇫🇷 The youngest ever to tackle Alpe d’Huez on a Tour de France! What a discovery it’s been, Paul!

🇫🇷 Le plus jeune coureur à affronter l’Alpe d’Huez sur le Tour de France ! Sacrée découverte, n’est ce pas @seixas_paul ? #TDF2026 pic.twitter.com/puYU9O2CfN

— Tour de France™ (@LeTour) July 24, 2026

On Friday, Alpe d’Huez felt like a mountain on the edge, and organizers have limited tools with which to fix it. Keeping it as it is, after another major rider safety issue, appears untenable.

Payments for entry? It goes against one of the last egalitarian beauties of professional cycling and the Tour de France. Free ticketing could be a viable option, as could be putting up barriers for the entirety of its 13 kilometres — though that offers significant logistical challenges, and risks impeding the movement of large crowds in dangerous ways, on such tight mountain bends.

And anyway, even if technically possible, if the tangibility of the fans are the climb’s tradition, would there still be a point in coming up Alpe d’Huez? In cycling, the competition itself and the road on which that competition takes place are one and the same.

A theory has been forming: that ASO ace director Christian Prudhomme had been happy to hold successive stage finishes on the Alpe because the sheer scope and scale of the 2026 edition would diminish the clamor for it to immediately return in the near future.

The Alpe’s myth is its curse; the race’s future on the mountain looks more uncertain than ever.