Italians shone Tuesday on the legendary Tour de France stage that steeples up to this 6,000ft-high ski resort - following in the path of great compatriots Fausto Coppi, Gianni Bugno and Marco Pantani.
Damiano Cunego, winner of the Giro d'Italia in 2004, made his first big mark on the Tour by coming in second, only 11 seconds behind the winner, Luxemburg's Frank Schleck.
Stefano Garzelli, Giro winner in 2000, was third, one minute 10 seconds behind Schleck after sprinting past American Floyd Landis - who took the overall lead from Spain's Oscar Pereiro Sio. But Gilberto Simoni, Giro winner in 2001 and 2003, failed
to achieve what was his last great goal in his retirement year, coming in 23rd, three minutes 24 seconds back.
The late Pantani took the stage in 1995 and 1997 - a year before he became the first rider in 33 years to do the Giro-Tour double.
Bugno won it in 1990 and '91, while the mythical Coppi was the first winner in 1952. The stage is probably the most famous of the mountain climbs on the Tour de France and has been the scene of chaotic crowds in the past 10 years.
In 1999 Giuseppe Guerini won at l'Alpe d'Huez despite being knocked off his bike by a spectator who stepped into his path to take a photograph. In 2004, the last time the Tour came here, there was an individual time trial cheered on by nearly a million fans.
Seven-time Tour winner Lance Armstrong won the stage but his time was 46 seconds slower than the record set by Pantani of 36 minutes, 50 seconds.
