Hill-climb races are a rarity in the U.S. and don’t carry nearly the same prestige or mass following as they do in the U.K. But last weekend, former WorldTour climbers Pete Stetina and Ian Boswell brought fresh attention to what many call the hardest ascent on U.S. soil: the Mount Washington Auto Road Bicycle Hillclimb.
Attempted, and won, over the years by Tour de France veterans, Olympians and national champions such as Tyler Hamilton, Tom Danielson, Ned Overend, and Jeannie Longo, the event covers just 7.4 miles (11.9 km) but climbs 4,678 feet (1,425 m). The road averages a punishing 12.6% gradient, with ramps that pitch up to 22%.
