hors categorie

plural hors categories · alternative hors catégorie

1. cyclingThe toughest category of climbs, tougher than category 1. One of six categories of climbs, HC, 1, 2, 3, 4, and not classified; not classified being the easiest.

   This was a victory in the grand style, the reward for a heroic escape on the slopes of a vicious mountain pass rated hors-catégorie.

   2010 July 18, Richard Williams, “Tour de France 2010: Home rider Christophe Riblon celebrates big day”, in The Guardian, →ISSN

   2 more examples

   Ahead of me was the legendary Col de Tourmalet—at 2115m, the highest road pass in the Pyrenees and a stalwart in Tour de France history. It's even classed as an hors-catégorie (out-of-category) climb because it's such a killer. This was a mountain that even professional cyclists are wary of.

   2005 June 28, Max Wooldridge, “Stages fright”, in The Guardian, →ISSN

   Ferrand-Prevot dropped favourite climber Sarah Gigante (AG Insurance-Soudal) with 8.5km to go on the Hors Categorie — the hardest category — climb Col de la Madeleine, eventually joining and overtaking Niamh Fisher-Black (Lidl-Trek) and Yara Kastelijn (Fenix-Deceuninck) to win by a minute and 45 seconds.

   2025 August 2, Jessica Hopkins, “Tour de France Femmes: Pauline Ferrand-Prevot dominates queen stage to take yellow before final day”, in The New York Times, →ISSN

   Synonyms: HC, S