They say numbers are cold. Yet, when it comes to Italians and their successes at Alpe d'Huez, the expression "Those were wonderful years" comes easily to mind, whether you were watching in front of the television, pedaling up that climb more or less at a leisurely pace (blame the 42x24 gearing?), or arriving by car at the finish line by taking that Col de La Sarenne with no guardrails—a detour for connoisseurs discovered thanks to word-of-mouth among enthusiasts.

And in any case, the numbers speak and warm the heart: of the small Italian contingent racing at the 2026 Tour, only Damiano Caruso, Edoardo Affini, and Stefano Oldani were born in the '90s, when there was no stopping us and we managed not only to revive—in some way—the glories of Coppi in 1952, the first time at Alpe d'Huez: the Campionissimo was fresh from his memorable feat at Sestriere and delivered an encore.

The mountain of the Dutch became that of the white, red, and green, like the Italian champion's jersey worn by Gianni Bugno in 1991, the year of his second victory. The first one, though not exactly a household name, arrived in such a special context that it had Italian fans pinching themselves (to check if it was real) as they discovered those mythical hairpin turns, brought here not only by the champion's sharp performance at the Giro with his Gatorade Chateau d'Ax team (some had already believed in him the year before at the World Championships in Chambery). And yet: Bugno first, Lemond second, Breukink third.

For the Dutch, the season that began in 1976 thanks to Zoetemelk had ended in 1989 with Theunisse. Aside from '91 (a certain Indurain finished second in that Gap-Alpe d'Huez stage, repeated today), the Italian saga at Alpe d'Huez would continue with Roberto Conti, Marco Pantani twice, and Giuseppe Guerini. Now that campers are filling every available spot along the roadside, the Dutch with their yellow license plates aren't even thinking about snubbing the Grande Boucle while waiting for the return of a champion suited to this type of terrain. Because Alpe d'Huez is Alpe d'Huez, it brings everyone together, an international popular destination but not quite like Sanremo (meaning the Festival), no offense to Sal Da Vinci.

photo fermoimmagine Youtube