“Absolutely brutal and seemingly endless”- Alberto Contador previews Tour de France climb that crushed Tadej Pogacar

With the 2025 Tour de France looming, Alberto Contador has offered an ominous preview of what could be the race’s most decisive moment: the Col de la Loze.

Speaking to Eurosport during a reconnaissance ride, the two-time Tour winner described the legendary Hors Catégorie ascent as “absolutely brutal” — and one that could once again shatter the GC contenders in dramatic fashion.

Stage 18 of the 2025 Tour is a beast: just 171 kilometres in length, but packing over 5,500 metres of vertical gain — a punishing profile by any measure. It culminates at 2,300 metres above sea level, atop the Col de la Loze, a climb as feared as it is revered. And Contador knows exactly what this mountain is capable of.

The Col de la Loze last featured in the 2023 Tour — a day many still remember for the dramatic implosion of Tadej Pogacar. On that scorching afternoon, the Slovenian superstar cracked completely, crossing the line over five minutes behind Jonas Vingegaard, his face a mask of defeat, arm in arm with the ever-loyal Marc Soler.

Now, with the stage set for a possible repeat on 24 July 2025, Contador’s insights offer a stark reminder of what lies ahead. “By the time riders hit the base of the Loze, they’ll already have the Glandon and the Madeleine in their legs — both Hors Catégorie climbs,” he said. “It’s the kind of day that decides a Tour.”

The Col de la Loze is no ordinary climb. Stretching for 26 kilometres with an average gradient of 6.5%, it may not seem terrifying on paper — but the reality is far more complex. “The climb starts on a wide road,” Contador explained, “but it gradually narrows, and after 11 kilometres, the real suffering begins.”

That "moment of truth", as he calls it, arrives with a relentless kilometre at around 10% — a perfect launchpad for attacks after a long, controlled build-up. But there’s a catch: from there, a brutal 14 kilometres still remain. “It’s not just about that one ramp. It’s what follows — the cumulative effort. That’s what breaks riders.”

As the road snakes its way higher, the climb becomes even more unpredictable. Five kilometres from the summit, the gradients bite harder and the road narrows into a steep, winding ribbon. “The final part is really tough — brutal, in fact,” Contador warned. “About a kilometre before the top, the road becomes almost a path. From that point, it never lets up.”

Even after passing Courchevel, where many might expect a brief reprieve, the riders are thrown into one final test of willpower. “There’s a short section of maybe 400 or 500 metres where the road eases, but straight after that you’re back into 9–10% ramps. At that altitude, after a day like this, it’s savage.”

While the Col de la Loze doesn’t have the sheer gradients of the Zoncolan or the Mortirolo, its true menace lies in its totality — its length, altitude, and the deep fatigue that precedes it.

“It’s a climb built to make differences,” Contador concluded. “The gradients aren’t extreme in isolation, but over this distance, and after such a brutal stage profile, it can blow the race apart.”

With Pogacar and Vingegaard expected to be closely matched heading into the final week, the Loze could once again prove pivotal. One thing’s for certain: if gaps are still tight by Stage 18, 24 July could deliver a Tour-defining showdown.