Tour Tidbit du Jour - 7/9/2013

According to Tour lore, the origin of the climbing categories comes from the corresponding lowest gear a charabanc, or old style French touring bus, needed to drive over an ascent. Here's what a charabanc looks like:

A category 1 climb meant that the touring bus had to use 1st gear to get over the mountain, which corresponded to about 6 miles an hour. An Hors Catégorie climb, or above category, meant that a charabanc couldn't even make it to the top.

Rated climbs in the modern Tour no longer match what gear a big bus needs to use, being judged on gradient, length, and altitude.