Cyclist type: The Puncheur

A puncheur is a specialist in rolling terrain characterised by short, steep climbs. The puncheur excels in the Spring Classics, notably races like Liege-Bastogne-Liege and La Flèche Wallonne.

The leading puncheurs, like Philippe Gilbert of Belgium, have a physique that allows them to escape for the peloton with short, sharp bursts on these small but demanding hills and maintain a lead, sometimes with the help of a team mate or fellow puncheur. Their riding style and abilities are suited to the one day race format and their lower endurance is a disadvantage when it comes to stage races like the Tour de France and the Giro d’Italia, where the climbs in the Alps and the Pyrenees are far longer, albeit at lower gradients .