What do you get when you combine a high-altitude alpine course with the 21 hairpin bends of a mountain made famous by the Tour de France? The legendary Alpe d’Huez Triathlon: a 2.2km swim, a 118km bike, and a 19.2km run through the French Alps. From the stunning Lac du Verney to the picturesque Col de Sarenne at 1,800m altitude, the race takes athletes up the famous Alpe d’Huez climb, the biggest challenge of the day, winding their way up 13.9km at an average gradient of 7%.

With many legendary names on its list of winners, including Daniela Ryf, Chrissie Wellington, Nicola Spirig, Jeanne Collonge, Léon Chevalier, and Clément Mignon, the 20th edition of the Alpe d’Huez Triathlon crowned a new legend: three-time champion Alanis Siffert.

The crown jewel of the Tour de France, Alpe d’Huez carries the famed nickname “a mountain of emotions” and has hosted the peloton on 32 occasions. The climb has cemented itself as a myth in cycling, where every bend feels like a chapter of the sport’s history. While triathlon combines swimming, cycling, and running, the Alpe d’Huez Triathlon calls to athletes for another reason. It is legendary. The switchbacks carry decades of cycling history, and the mountain has crowned both cycling and triathlon greats.

The 20th edition featured a highly competitive professional field, with 80 professional men and 20 professional women lining up on the beach at Lac du Verney, the hydroelectric reservoir nestled in the mountains. It was Alanis Siffert who completed the trifecta, claiming a hat trick of victories after wins in 2024, 2025, and now 2026. And just as she did at Challenge Roth, where she improved her 2025 time by an astonishing 32 minutes and 32 seconds, Siffert lowered her Alpe d’Huez winning time by 5 minutes and 37 seconds, crossing the line in 6:13. From the moment she exited the swim in first place, Siffer never relinquished the lead. Jeanne Collonge finished second in 6:22:30, while Nina Derron rounded out the podium in 6:32:12.

The men’s race featured three previous champions among the 80 athletes on the start line, making for another competitive field. It was Thomas Steger who traded in his third-place finish from 2025 for the top step, winning in 5:33:41. Emile Blondel-Hermant finally conquered his DNF demons, doing so in style with a runner-up finish. Louis Richard, no stranger to the Alpe d’Huez podium after finishing second in both 2024 and 2025, rounded out the top three.

The Year of Alanis Siffert

Her victories have been adding up. Ironman 70.3 Shanghai, Zarauzko Triathlon, Challenge Roth, and now Alpe d’Huez.

Following her win at Roth, Siffert sat down with Jackie Hering on The Women’s Race podast to discuss her pathway into the sport, working with coach Brett Sutton, training and mindset, and what comes next. The question on everyone’s mind after her remarkable Roth performance, including a sub 2:50 marathon, was simple: Kona?

Sadly, the answer is no, at least not this year. As Siffert shared with Hering, her focus remains on French racing, with Alpe d’Huez followed by Embrunman before lining up for the Ironman 70.3 World Championship in Nice. She will then return to China before finishing her season with races in Asia or Australia.

For now, chapeau à toi, Alanis. A hat-trick in the French Alps.