Hors Catégorie, or HC, are the most challenging cycling ascents. They are more difficult than Category 1 ascents. The name is literally beyond category and is reserved for the steepest, the longest, or the most challenging hills.
Climbs are normally classified from Category 4 (least challenging) to Category 1 (most challenging), based on the degrees of steepness, length, and position within the stage. HC climbs transcend these standards—usually double-digit gradients for many kilometers at altitude. It takes awe-inducing power-to-weight ratio, strategy, and mental resilience to overcome an HC climb. On Grand Tours, HC climbs determine the General Classification and are symbolic battlefields for the greatest climbers in the world.
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