[Closed] How do the Grand Tours rank in toughness?

I think the Giro would be the hardest as there is lots of climbing, and steeper too, I would say the Vuelta is probably next, followed by France.  Alpine climbing generally isn't all that steep, Pyrenees is steeper though.

Well, not having done them this is purely hypothetical. I'd say the Vuelta is the toughest then the Giro then the TdF.

The Vuelta always seems to have a lot of tough climbs plus a lot of mountain top finishes (9 this year I believe) and it's in the hottest time of the year. The Giro can be hard for the opposite reason, it's early in the year and bad weather can be a big part in determining the winner.

Varies from year to year, depending on the route id have thought. Dunno why, but I've always thought the Vuelta to be the hardest one, due to the heat, as the landscapes just looks dry and arid.

It depends on the course doesn't it? it varies every year so you'd have to aggregate it I guess.

But overall probs Tour, then Giro, then Vuelta seems about right. I wouldn't be at all surprised if the Vuelta or Giro had some equally demanding individual climbs (length gradient), but taken overall, still the Tour I reckon.

It varies every year. Giro and Vuelta generally have had more climbs and crazy stages than the TdF. They've backed off slightly past few years though. You need to consider steepness of climbs, number per day, where they come in the stage/tour, weather etc. to judge toughness though.

I think the TDF would be bottom for climbing. Giro tends to have some huge 5,000m days, the Vuelta not far behind but tends to throw in some horrendous gradients.  The other day at the Vuelta was considered as not for the climbers and still had 3,000m of climbing.

Giro has been 'harder' than the TDF for the last few years - the Giro organisers also tend to be a bit more creative in terms of the route, making it more varied / mixed-up. The TDF tends to be fairly predictable - week of flat, mountain stages at weekend, week of flat, weekend of mountain stages, week of flat - sprint finish into Paris.  However, the TDF also tends to have the higher average speeds due to the 'prestige' of stage wins which can make it really hard on the teams.

The Giro seems to have the steepest hills, there was one a few years ago where the pelaton slowed to a crawl and a lot or riders got off to push!

The Vuelta must surely have the most time spent going uphill though, even if not quite as steep it always seems to be going up something and has far fewer sprint/easy/transit days.

TdF gets the kudos because its in the middle so the big boys are all tapering for it and on form so its the (unofficial) world Championship of tour cycling.

depends obviously on the course for the year but I think both the Giro and the Vuelta have more nasty climbs in them than the tour.

But hardest also depends on how hard you have to go up those climbs, so as TINAS says, the TdF with its kudos and history, and the fact that 'everyone' will be there and aiming to be on form for it means that to win it you will have to beat the best at their best. To win the Giro or the Vuelta, while still stunning achievements - well, it might be like beating Madrid but on a day when Ronaldo was injured.

All seem quite easy, tbey get rest days and everything. Much easier than TCR/RAM/TD/etc I guess.

.

Just guessing, I've not done any of these things.

What would you say is the order of pain cave this year? Kind of want it to be the Vuelta, just to inspire me to watch the highlights program each evening.

The Vuelta is widely regarded as the toughest. They often put in some insane stages. Super long or with mental amounts of climbing or up some massively steep, near-gravel climb. Also it's at the end of the season (when everyone is tired), it's baking hot and there are a lot of riders with something to prove after a shit season so most of them are actually trying quite hard.

Giro still manages to find some really tough climbing days and a lot of the descents are really technical too, far more do than an average Alpine descent.

The problem with the Tour that it's a huge media circus so it's tough because of that rather than the actual riding. That said, it's also full gas most of the time because it's the event that *everyone* is watching so the riders are under pressure to deliver the airtime for sponsors.

All seem quite easy, tbey get rest days and everything. Much easier than TCR/RAM/TD/etc I guess.

Equally they ride at their own pace, stop when they fancy a break and for all bar the winner it's just a holiday/personal challenge rather than having a DS shouting at you on the radio everyday to go up the road and flog yourself in a pointless breakaway because the sponsors need a photo.

Hmmm...

I’m gonna say, in order..

Giro

Vuelta

TdF

Based on complexity and climbing.

Much easier than TCR/RAM/TD/etc I guess.

Guess again.

It's not the distance, or the amount of climbing that makes a Grand Tour tough, it's the intensity of the competition between the riders. They are elite athletes, and when the hammer goes down in a race they are pushing the limits of what a human body can do. Then they have to recover and do it again, and again, and again. Then they have to get up the next day and repeat the whole thing, and do that for weeks.

An event like the Tour Divide is a very tough endurance test, but the competitors are not operating anywhere near the peaks of intensity that road racing demands, and they are not dealing with the pressure and tactical demands of competing hand to hand in a bunch of 200 other riders who are all slogging it out to try and get their team on top. Miss a move, or get yourself in the wrong place, and your race could be over.

I'd say the standard of competition makes them all tough, but the TdF probably edges it because it is the highest profile race and the premier target for the best teams, so the racing will be particularly competitive.

The Vuelta is the only one I have ever seen a pro get off and push.... so Vuelta is toughest IMHO.

The Vuelta is widely regarded as the toughest.

I don't think that's true. I've heard many commentators suggest that the Giro is pretty tough, the climbs are hard, the weather is often inclement, and the road are not great. The Vuelta was traditionally mostly long straight flat roads through the centre of Spain, t's only recently it's gone out of it's way to find more and more mountains.

The Giro seems to have the steepest hills, there was one a few years ago where the pelaton slowed to a crawl and a lot or riders got off to push!

And

The Vuelta is the only one I have ever seen a pro get off and push…. so Vuelta is toughest IMHO

Right.. Now I want to see this! I've once seen the pros having to push but it was more the lack of grip on steep cobbles on a onr day classic than due to the types of climbing we see in a gt.

Not doubting it's happened, I just want to see the footage to make myself feel better about when I have had to do it!

Not a GT but a stage race, after a quick google

https://www.cyclingweekly.com/news/get-off-and-walk-tirreno-climbs-beat-the-pros-32891

Paul Kimmage in his book "Rough Ride" recounts how in one stage of the Giro, there was a mad panic to get to the start, and he left his gloves behind. It was snowing. As the ride went on the snow got worse, and on the descent, his hands now being even colder, he got off, peed on his hands to warm them up, and then got back on and carried on riding.

I think they're all too tough for me.

if the answer is derived by just gradient then the answer is Zoncolan (ITA) and Angliru (ESP) - the TdF doesn't go up the really silly stuff because the ASO demands that the publicity caravan drive the whole route unless exceptional excuses are given

but it's never just about the gradient - its the intensity of the riding across the whole race, I'd say there appears to be no real difference; everyone races hard right from the flag to the line because the telly cameras everywhere encourage it

Generally I'd say Vuelta - Giro - TdF though the first two could change order depending on year