Racing

Sixteen of the toughest climbs in professional cycling

Ascents which strike fear into the even most seasoned pros

Going up

The Angliru is widely touted as the toughest climb in pro cycling - but what else made our list? (pic: Sirotti)
The peloton tackles the Wall of Sormano (pic: Sirotti)
Colombians, Nairo Quintana and Rigoberto Uran do battle on the Zoncolan pic: ©Sirotti
Christopher Horner rides alone after dropping Vuelta a Espana GC rival Vincenzo Nibali on the Angliru (pic: Sirotti)
Peter Cossins' looks at 'cycling's greatest climb' in Alpe d'Huez (pic: Media-24)
Froome rounds the final corner of the Mont Ventoux on his way to his 2013 stage win (pic: Sirotti)
The iconic Passo dello Stelvio is likely to feature on the 'must ride' list of any cyclist. pic: ©Media24
The Koppenberg is known to have forced many a cyclist to get off and push (pic: Sirotti)
Alejandro Valverde celebrates his La Fleche Wallonne triumph atop the Mur de Huy in 2015 (pic: Sirotti)
The snow-laden slopes of the Gavia featured at the Giro last year (pic: Sirotti)
The Passo Giau is set in a landscape that can accurately be described as stunning. pic: ©Sirotti
Joaquim Rodriguez resplendent in the maglia rosa at the 2012 Giro d'Italia, tackles the Mortirolo
The Col du Tourmalet was part of the 2014 Etape du Tour (pic: muneaki / Creative Commons)
Joaquim Rodriguez celebrates his win on the Ancares in 2012 (pic: Sirotti)
Nairo Quintana and Pierre Rolland tackle the Montecampione at last year's Giro d'Italia (pic: Sirotti)
The stunning backdrop masks the fierceness of the climb to the Lakes of Covadonga (pic: Sirotti)
The Hautacam has become a popular modern addition to the Tour de France pic: ©Media24

Going up

From the short, steep Ardennes hills to energy-sapping slogs up the toughest climbs in the Alps, Pyrenees and Dolomites, there’s no shortage of leg-numbing climbs for professional cyclists to conquer as they fight for glory in the sport’s greatest races.

But which climbs cause even the world’s best riders to come in cold sweats whenever a route is announced and race approaches? Which ascents stand above all the others – literally in some cases – when it comes to eye-watering gradients, brutal slopes and gruelling pitches?

We’ve rounded up 16 of the WorldTour’s toughest climbs over the following pages – how many have you tackled? And are there any ascents from your bucket list that you’d have included? Let us know in the comments below.