Cyclist Smashes 30-Year Climbing Record at Tour de France

The crowds lining the famous hairpin turns of Alpe d'Huez witnessed history on Friday as Tadej Pogačar flew past a record that stood for 30 years.

The Slovenian cyclist conquered the legendary mountain climb in 35 minutes and 26 seconds during stage 19 of the 2026 Tour de France. That's 1 minute and 14 seconds faster than Marco Pantani's iconic 1995 time of 36:40, a benchmark many thought would stand forever.

Pogačar caught up to and passed breakaway riders on his way up the grueling 13.8-kilometer climb, leaving fellow competitors stunned by his speed. He swept past Richard Carapaz, Sepp Kuss, and Lenny Martinez before kicking away alone in the final kilometer for a solo victory.

The climb itself is classified as "hors catégorie," cycling's highest difficulty rating. Riders face over 1,000 meters of elevation gain at an average gradient of 8.8 percent, making it one of the sport's ultimate tests of endurance and power.

What makes the achievement even more remarkable is Pogačar's humble reaction. "I actually don't know what was the time of Pantani, to be honest," he said afterward, explaining he's been staying off the internet during the race. When told he'd broken the record, he simply said he was happy and wanted to win for his teammates.

Why This Inspires

Records exist to be broken, and Pogačar's performance reminds us that human potential keeps expanding. What seemed impossible for three decades became reality through dedication, training, and the relentless pursuit of excellence.

His achievement also honors the sport's history rather than diminishing it. Pantani's 1995 climb inspired a generation of cyclists, and now Pogačar's time will inspire the next.

Fellow rider Paul Seixas summed it up perfectly at the finish line: "You're insane, mate."

Sometimes breaking barriers looks exactly like this: one pedal stroke at a time, climbing higher than anyone thought possible.