The 2022 Tour de France, which kicks off next weekend in Copenhagen, may include many legendary Tour climbs such as Galibier, Alpe d'Huez, and Autacam, but this week a long-unused mountain is back in the news.

The Puy de Dome is a 1,465-meter-high volcano in Massif Central that was the site of the famous duel between Poulidor and Anquetil in the 1964 race, and where Eddy Merckx was beaten by spectators nine years later.

Starting with Fausto Coppi's stage win on the summit in 1952, the climb appeared 13 times in the race, but has not been used since 1988. During this period, no bicycle races have been held to the summit, partly because a railroad was built on the narrow road to the summit, and partly because the summit was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

One of the Tour's famous "forgotten" climbs, it may be revived in a few years.

This week, Tour de France director Christian Prudhomme toured the pass with local Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes prefect Laurent Vauchies and prefect Lionel Chauvin.

"Today, the dream is bigger," Prudhomme told the regional newspaper La Montagne (opens in new tab).

"It's a dream that's been in my head for years, so it's very emotional."

"The Puy de Dome is a myth, a symbol of Auvergne. And I have always thought it was a mistake to deprive ourselves of the possibility of coming here."

Prudhomme added that revisiting the Puy de Dome would continue the Tour's recent tradition of tackling climbs previously considered unraceable.

"This is in line with our desire to return the mountains to the champions.

"As we have shown over the last few years by going to sensitive and inaccessible places."

He also added that he did not want to make any assurances about the future of this climb and the Tour. More meetings on the Puy de Dome and the future Tour route are expected in the coming months.