Luz Ardiden

During the 2003 Tour de France, Lance Armstrong was riding with Iban Mayo at the start of the climb to Luz Ardiden when Armstrong crashed, bringing Mayo down with him. The fall was caused when Armstrong caught the handlebar of his bike on the strap of a spectator's bag. Jan Ulrich, who was riding just behind Armstrong and Mayo, avoided the crash, and in an act of chivalry he slowed to wait for the fallen riders.[2] Armstrong would go on to win by his smallest ever margin.

It was on Luz Ardiden where Greg LeMond won the 1990 Tour de France with a relentless attack none of the favorites could answer and Miguel Indurain would show the cycling world what was to come over the next half a decade. Claudio Chiappucci had surprised all of the pre-race favorites by still leading the race with over two minutes in hand at this point in the Tour and he actually attacked early on this stage in order to defend the Maillot Jaune. Eventually Greg LeMond and a group of elite riders would catch the Italian and leave him behind. LeMond then launched a final and decisive attack on the final climb up Luz Ardiden in which he broke all of the other favorites and would eventually only have Indurain riding with him. LeMond would ride at the front with Indurain following for the majority of the climb, continuously extending his lead over the entire field. In the final few hundred meters of the stage Indurain came to the front and claimed the stage win as LeMond was now within just five seconds of the Yellow Jersey ahead of the final Individual Time Trial, essentially securing his 3rd Tour victory. [3]