[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"$fPCkn30Quy9zhQ9_3ozz8jjUpK38gb8Ndc_k1Mln3Wq8":3},{"id":4,"status":5,"date_published":6,"date_created":7,"date_updated":8,"tags":9,"translations":14,"photo":37,"categorie":42,"_frContenu":50},"f573a22a-9397-496e-9645-da509d5c56c7","published","2026-02-23T11:00:00.000Z","2026-02-22T23:04:06.345Z","2026-02-28T12:58:42.442Z",[10,11,12,13],"pikes peak","course de côte","légende","états-unis",[15],{"id":16,"languages_code":17,"titre":18,"slug":19,"contenu":20,"extrait":21,"meta_title":22,"meta_description":23,"faq":24,"articles_id":4},"3be079ba-3bb8-4e3f-bc45-098e3a3a15c0","en","What is the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb?","what-is-the-pikes-peak-international-hill-climb","Known as the \"Race to the Clouds,\" the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb (PPIHC) is more than just a race. It is a legendary motorsport event held annually in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado, USA. For any rider, Pikes Peak evokes adrenaline, sheer drops, and pure performance.\n\n## A Vertiginous Ascent\n\nThe concept is simple yet terrifying: start at an elevation of 9,390 feet (2,862 meters) and finish at the summit at 14,115 feet (4,302 meters). The course winds for over 12 miles (19.99 km) with a vertical climb of 4,725 feet.\n\nWhat makes this race unique is the near-total lack of guardrails. A missed apex is unforgiving, as the cliffs are real and breathtaking. Riders must navigate 156 turns, shifting between tight hairpins and fast sweepers, all while dealing with thinning oxygen that exhausts the body and saps internal combustion engine power.\n\n## History and the Shift to Asphalt\n\nFor decades, Pikes Peak was a hybrid challenge. The road was partially paved and partially gravel/dirt. Riders needed dirt-track sliding skills as well as tarmac speed. \n\nSince 2012, the entire road has been paved. This radically changed the nature of the race, turning it into a pure speed event where supermotos and high-performance naked bikes like the KTM 1290 Super Duke R or the Ducati Multistrada V4 2024 dominated. Ducati, in particular, built much of its modern reputation here with its specialized \"Pikes Peak\" editions.\n\n## Why are there no more motorcycles officially?\n\nThis is a sensitive topic for the riding community. Following the tragic accident of Carlin Dunne in 2019—who crashed just before the finish line while on track for a record—the organization decided to suspend the motorcycle category indefinitely.\n\nThe reasoning cited was the extreme danger of the course for two-wheelers, particularly due to bumps and changing surface conditions that can upset a bike at high speeds in ways a car can withstand. While cars continue to race, the spirit of the riders still haunts the mountain.\n\n## Summary\n\nPikes Peak remains one of the most demanding races in the world. It requires a strong heart, surgical precision, and extraordinary technical preparation to handle the altitude. Even though motorcycles no longer officially line up at the start, the records set on this mountain are an integral part of global motorcycle culture.","Discover the legendary Race to the Clouds: 156 turns, 14,000 feet of altitude, and a history that shaped the world of performance motorcycling","Everything about Pikes Peak International Hill Climb","History, track details, and records of the world's most famous hill climb. Dive into the heart of the Race to the Clouds at Pikes Peak.",[25,28,31,34],{"q":26,"a":27},"Where is the Pikes Peak race located?","It takes place near Colorado Springs, in the state of Colorado, USA.",{"q":29,"a":30},"What is the current motorcycle record?","The record is held by Rennie Scaysbrook, who completed the climb in 9:44.963 in 2019 on an Aprilia Tuono V4.",{"q":32,"a":33},"Why do engines lose power at the top?","Due to the high altitude, the air is less dense and contains less oxygen, which hampers the engine's internal combustion.",{"q":35,"a":36},"Can you ride the Pikes Peak road outside of the race?","Yes, it is a toll road open to the public most of the year, although very strict speed limits apply.",{"id":38,"width":39,"height":40,"title":41},"a46756b7-602f-4fca-96d6-f45ae6f9cbb5",1344,768,"Pikes Peak",{"id":43,"translations":44},"b8797876-abd7-4fd0-8f66-faa7191519bc",[45],{"id":46,"languages_code":17,"nom":47,"slug":48,"description":49,"categories_articles_id":43},"9912f2c0-cde2-43e3-bd8d-c4296187a1ad","Competition & motorsport","competition-motorsport",null,"Surnommée la « course vers les nuages » (Race to the Clouds), la Pikes Peak International Hill Climb (PPIHC) est bien plus qu'une simple compétition. C'est un monument du sport mécanique qui se déroule chaque année dans les Rocheuses du Colorado, aux États-Unis. Pour un motard, évocation de Pikes Peak rime avec adrénaline, vide et performance pure.\n\n## Une ascension vertigineuse\n\nLe concept est simple mais terrifiant : partir d'une altitude de 2 862 mètres pour franchir la ligne d'arrivée à 4 302 mètres. Le tracé serpente sur près de 20 kilomètres avec un dénivelé positif de 1 440 mètres. \n\nCe qui rend cette course unique, c'est l'absence quasi totale de rails de sécurité. Un virage manqué ne pardonne pas, car les précipices sont réels et vertigineux. Les pilotes doivent composer avec 156 virages, alternant épingles serrées et courbes rapides, le tout en subissant la raréfaction de l'oxygène qui fatigue les organismes et fait perdre de la puissance aux moteurs thermiques.\n\n## L'histoire et l'évolution du bitume\n\nPendant des décennies, Pikes Peak était un défi hybride. La route était partiellement goudronnée et partiellement composée de terre battue. Les pilotes devaient donc posséder des compétences de pilotage de type « dirt track » (glisse sur terre) tout en étant rapides sur l'asphalte. \n\nDepuis 2012, la route est entièrement bitumée. Cela a radicalement changé la nature de la course, la transformant en une épreuve de vitesse pure où les motos supermotards et les roadsters sportifs comme la Ducati Multistrada V4 2024 ou la KTM 1290 Super Duke R règnent en maîtres. Ducati y a d'ailleurs bâti une grande partie de sa réputation moderne avec ses modèles estampillés « Pikes Peak ».\n\n## Pourquoi n'y a-t-il plus de motos officiellement ?\n\nC'est le point sensible pour nous, motards. Après l'accident tragique de Carlin Dunne en 2019, juste avant la ligne d'arrivée alors qu'il allait battre un record, l'organisation a décidé de suspendre indéfiniment la catégorie moto. \n\nLa raison invoquée est la dangerosité extrême du tracé pour les deux-roues, notamment à cause des bosses et des changements de revêtement qui, à très haute vitesse, peuvent déséquilibrer une moto là où une voiture resterait stable. Aujourd'hui, la course continue pour les autos, mais l'esprit des motards plane toujours sur la montagne.\n\n## En résumé\n\nPikes Peak reste l'une des courses les plus exigeantes au monde. Elle demande un cœur solide, une précision chirurgicale et une préparation technique hors norme pour gérer l'altitude. Même si les motos ne prennent plus le départ officiellement aujourd'hui, les records établis sur cette montagne font partie intégrante de la culture moto mondiale."]