There are signature climbs in all areas. In the Alps its Alpe d'Huez and the Pyrenees its the Tourmalet. Whether these are the best climbs is debatable for somehow they have build the image or mystique that makes people want to do those climbs. In the Pyrenees the climb I wanted to do was the Tourmalet - its the highest if nothing else. The climb starts in the village Luz-Saint Sauveur and although this was only 9-10 miles from where we were staying I decided to drive over. The road up to Luz-Saint Sauveu runs through a very dramatic river valley, with a few tunnels and sheer cliffs. I parked up for free (as always seems to be the case in France), got ready and started the climb. Its signed right in the town square and goes up hill straight away, so I needed to take it very easy at the start to avoid blowing up immediately. This was made worse by the high temperature, so it was a challenging start. Its about a 12 mile climb with an average gradient of 8%.
Apart from a few small sections of flat (a few 100m or so) the gradient was pretty well constant all the way. The flattest part was near a car park and cafe complex about 8km from the summit. The hot weather meant pacing was very important - there were some shaded sections which gave a bit of respite but the rest was full on sunshine, particularly after the cafe.
There were quite a few riders (compared to other climbs in the Pyrenees) and whilst I was passed by a number of riders I also reeled in and passed about the same number myself. About 2-3 km from the summit I saw a rider with a Devizes Cycling Club kit. He really was from the club and we cycled together to just below the summit. He had cycled further than me already and was due to meet some club mates at the summit to ride further. Cycling and talking to someone else passed the time very pleasantly and before I knew it we were about 1 corner away from the summit. I did squeeze out an unsociable spurt of speed and pulled away to the summit.
Having been climbing for 2 hours it was great to reach the top. Given its iconic nature it was full of other cyclist, tourists and general sight see-ers.
A tough climb, but a real sense of achievement. Sitting back afterwards I felt a couple of minutes might have been gained by not chatting to the Devizes rider, but it was a more pleasant experience and segment time is not everything!
Here's my stats for the (whole) ride, including the descent:
On the longest segment I placed 5098 out of 12560 - so in the top 50% so I was please with that. However my time of 1:10:00 was just under twice the KOM holder - Thibaut Pinot so it puts into perspective the difference between a fit amateur and a full out
I was in Worthing over the 2016 August Bank Holiday weekend with friends and was able to take my bike. The logistic were such that I was able to sneak a ride in on the Monday and planned this to include the #21 - Steyning Bostal. It was a bit further from Worthing to the foot of the climb than I expected and I was getting pressed for time as I was going to be late to meet my wife as arranged. The delay was partially down to the Bank Holiday traffic along the seafronts of Worthing and Lancing. I turned onto the climbed and there was immediately a short steep section that was, to be honest, a bit of a nothing climb. As I crested it I could see ahead what looked like 1/2 a mile or so of pretty flat road. I knew I was on the right road but I still had some doubts given what the road was like. However at the end of the flat section it kicked up quite sharply. There was a junction to the right and at that point it really did change to a "proper" climb. It was a good 15% at least and I was starting to regret having swapped out my 11-32 "pyrenean" cassette for the more UK suitable 11-28. My heart rate was up at around 175bpm but I actually felt OK and it was not too long the gradient eased off and I was at the top. It was a tough but manageable climb, and another one ticked off the list. Here's the full route for the day (25miles average 16.2mph - included the slow sea front and the climb)
Here is the climb details:
My stats were 7:10 climb time, 407ft of ascent, average speed of 8.2mph and average heart rate of 171bpm. I placed 946 of 3109 - I was pretty happy to be in the top 1/3rd. I think if I did it again I could take some time out of this relatively easily on the flat stretch I had my Garmin Virb with me but forgot to have it running before the climb, so it starts part way up the first small climb:
We were staying in Argeles Gazost - by choice at it is at the end of a valley that sees Hautacam, Soulor, Luz Ardidenne and Tourmalet all reached directly. On the first day on the area I climbed Hautacam. Unfortunately in the morning the cloud was low and although it was dry but grey at the valley floor I soon found that about 200m higher it was full-on cloud, so much so that at times visibility was less than 100m or so. The cloud also meant that I could not decide whether it was "warm" or "cold". For the first time in France I had looked at the weather and put on my gilet and arm warmers. At times it was cold enough for this full on gear, at others I had the arms rolled down and the gilet open and flapping. I was pretty wet after 20 minutes or sp of climbing and it was a 50-50 mix of sweat and cloud. I ran my Garmin Virb for the climb - see here:
However after 10 minutes or so the lens just got covered in moisture and I have a climb of vague grey blurry shapes - hence the highly shortened video
An upside of the gloom was that I could not actually see where I needed to climb to and so was in happy ignorance. In reality it was unhappy ignorance as it was a beast of a climb. There was a point perhaps 3-4km from the summit when you cross a cattle grid and the trees start to disappear. The gradient also eases a bit and this signifies that you really are near the top. A little further on the cloud started to lift (or as I found out I climbed above the cloud) and the sun came up.
After a few more hairpins you "seem" to be at the top. I say seem as in reality the top of Hautacam is just a big car park. With a bit of searching you can see some painting on the road marking a previous Tour de France finish. I didn't realise this at the time and carried on up the road. This was a series of switchbacks for about 1.5km and another 150m or so to climb to another smaller car park with a small cafe (closed) and an observatory. This is the summit of the Col de Tramassel. That is the actual top. Its a col that goes nowhere - the only way from the top by road is the way that you came up unless you use a mountain bike.
I stopped to take some photos:
After the short photography session I set off back down the road. Needless to say the first few km were still above the cloud and in the sun but the vast majority of the descent was in the same overcast and wet cloud. Visibility of 100m is significantly worse at 30mph than 5mph so it was a very slow and tentative descent indeed. Cold enough as well that I needed the jersey, arm warmers and gilet of the ascent but I needed my Pocket Rocket waterproof on as well!. It was just about warm enough by the time I got back to the campsite and an hour later was blazing sunshine!
I'd climbed my first Pyrenean Col but saw virtually nothing of it except the very summit.
Here's the Strava data:
You can see that the damp got in the Garmin pressure port and screwed up the barometric elevation Basic data: 1hr 11min, 7.9miles at average gradient of 8% - 3362feet
The weather forecast was not at all great for the rest of the week so with the good weather from lunchtime I decided to climb Col Du Soulor.
The start of this climb is hidden round the back of the town of Argeles Gazost and sign posted for Col d'Aubisque. I had a half thought that as this 2nd col was about 7-8km further from Soulor I might do that as well. However I soon scotched that idea within the first 4-5km of the climb as the temperaturedifference could not be more different from the morning. The heat was high and immediately the climb difficult (for me).
Its an odd climb - 4-5 km of typical 6-8%followed by 4-5km or almost flat followed by another 5-6km of 7-9% climb. To be honest I struggled most of the way and was glad to get to the top. There was actually a couple of cafes at the top but I don't stop for anything other than a few photos and came back down again.
A good descent with a good road surface, sweeping bends and long straights.
The Mighty "Giant of Provence" - Mont Ventoux. I had been lucky enough to persuade my wife (or perhaps lucky that she agreed!) to come on a cycling holiday with me (a cycling holiday for me - not for her!). We'd spent a week in the French Alps and were travelling to the Pyrenees. However Provence is on the way and we stopped in Bedoin so I could cycle the iconic Mont Ventoux. All the words are true - as we approached in the car the giant mountain loomed ahead with nothing around it - it was huge and quite daunting in some respects. We parked in the town centre of Bedoin (for free as is nearly always the case in France). I got the bike out of the car, put the wheels back on and got changed in the clean public toilet and set off. It was a really hot day and I'd not got going until 1pm. It was a nice start for less than a km through the town but then straight out into the open countryside and baking sun with temperatures over 30Deg C. For some reason (perhaps the heat) my heart rate was very high right from the start and I felt I had to slow down to pace myself over the whole climb. Before the climb proper (although the gradient was a few %) the road had been recently re-surfaced and I was accompanied by the sticky sound of tyres covered in tarmac sucking themselves onto the road. I took several km for this to wear off. The climb proper started immediately after a left hand hairpin bend. It kicked up to 7-8% and in reality the climb stayed at this and then increased to between 8-10% for the next 12km up to the cafe at Chalet Reynard. This first section to the cafe was very difficult. The heat was high and whilst there was shade from the scrubby trees this offered no relief. The km markers appeared regularly but a long way apart as I was managing only 6mph or so, but at least I could see progress being made.
There seemed to be no relenting in the gradient and it was a matter of making sure I managed my pace and kept hydrated properly with small but frequent sips of water. I was passed by 1 or 2 other cyclists and think I passed a couple of others in this stretch but it was slow and lonely progress. I had hoped to switch between the 28 and 32 gear on the rear but right from the first corner I was in the 32 so I had no where else to go. I find that even if the 28 was a little too high changing up to it with the resultant cadence change for a few 100m was a good rest and gave further relief when I dropped back to the 32. For Ventoux I just had to grind up on the 32 all the way. Finally Chalet Reynard appeared after about 90minutes and 12km of climbing and the relief was significant. The gradient eased for several hundred meters in front of the cafe and I got a real rest from this.
Chalet Reynard
Passing the cafe I also sensed a bit of a tail wind and as I approached the next section of the climb I was riding easily in the 28 and started the climb "strongly" in that gear. This 2nd phase of the climb is at a slightly lower gradient (more 6-7% than 8-10%) and I felt good and also that the climb was relatively speaking over and that the hard part was done. This section was completely tree less and thus without shade but the breeze (no more than this really) also made the conditions a lot more comfortable. I passed a few other people on this stretch and was able to spend about 50% of the time in the 28 and the rest in the 32. I had a gel and a cereal bar and felt reasonably good.
About 1.2km from the summit I could see the Tom Simpson memorial and swung out across the road to get a better view on my Virb:
The Tom Simpson Memorial
I'd expected to see the traditional water bottles at the food but it was quite clean. I guess its periodically cleared up. The gradient for the last km however rose and the last km was probably nearer 10% average compared to the previous 4or 5 km at a lower 6-7%. The fact that you could see the summit so close was both heartening and disheartening at the same time and it meant that the progress seemed really slow.
The "Top" - 1km to go
However, finally you reach the last hairpin just meters from the summit:
The Final Hairpin
Rounding this the summit is just 100m or so way:
I took the requisite pictures of the summit sign (and with me):
Here's an artistic picture of my bike looking over the summit to the east:
Here's the building at the top (an observatory I think):
And here's my bike with the sign:
It was everything I hoped and expected and the sense of achievement was enormous. It was certainly one of the hardest climbs I have done
Here's a video of the last 6-7miles of ascent:
Link to Strava Ride: https://www.strava.com/activities/626638731 Stats - The Strava HC Category climb from Bedoin to the summit: 12.4 miles, 5050ft of ascent at an average of 8%. I managed 1:57:30 - an average speed of 6.4mph. (Compared to KoM Laurens ten Dam who climbed in 58:26 - an average speed of 12.8mph). My time put me 15836 out of 30521 so just below the 50% mark - I was very pleased with this.
I am not really a keen descender but the wide road and long gradients meant I could really put the hammer down. It was tremendous fun
Here's a video of 10 miles of descent towards Bedoin:
I had driven up and down the "proper" Glandon climb in 2015 on the way to and from the Galibier and could tell it was a beast. However I did not do this climb last year as it is over an hours drive just to get from Bourg to the bottom at Saint Etienne d'Cuines. However this year I decided to bite the bullet and have a go. My wife and I drove over and parked the car in Saint Jean de Maurienne. This was about 7-8 miles from the foot of the climb so I'd get a chance to warm up and she'd have somewhere to have lunch whilst I was away cycling. Once in Saint Jean de Maurienne it took a little while to get ready and I set off just after 11am. It was already quite hot and windy in the valley floor. It had taken 25 minutes to ride to the foot of the climb as I turned and headed up. From the roundabout at the bottom it rises up immediately for the first km or so is pretty gentle but once through the small village it kicks up to 7-8% and never stops. Every 1km there is a marker telling you how many km left to the summit and the average gradient of the next km. This is both good and bad - you can measure your progress but also worry about what's to come. I passed a few cyclists in the first couple of km and had managed to hang on in the 34-28 gear for a few km but after that needed to drop back to the 34-32. It stayed like that all the way to the 10km point where the road (almost) flattens for a km or so. Given the consistent gradient and the heat I was drinking a lot of water and using some over my neck to cool down. At the 12km to go point (so 8km done) I'd used almost half of the water I had. Remembering back to climbing the Col de Sarenne in 2015 when I almost ran out of water, I started to look out for some water replenishing points (eau potable) to make sure I had enough to last the top. I also had eaten half my food by the 12km point as well (1 gel and 1 cereal bar) by this point so I knew it was going to be tough all the way. There is village at the 10km to go point and for just over km the gradient eases to almost flat. There's also a couple of cafes/restaurants so I knew I'd be able to get water however I saw the usual drinking fountain trough so I filled the now empty first bottle and carried on. Past the village and swinging round to the left the climb resumed at its normal 9-10% rate. By this point you are mostly out of the trees as well so the temperature rose little as well. Up to the village the km markers were generally 7-8% but after they were 9-10% so much steeper for 2nd part of the climb. By this point I was pretty well stuck in the 34-32 gear. I was very glad of this to be honest. It was slower but I felt I could almost climb anything all day with it. I slowly ground up and it was in this part of the climb that I was now passed by 3-4 riders - all using higher gearing and leaving me pretty well standing still. I was not too bothered - my objective was to climb without stopping rather than set a faster time on the lower slopes before blowing up in a big way. Km 9-4 were really hard as it seemed to be still a long way but by the time I reached km 3 I knew it was just a case of keeping going and that it was doable. The final 3km were probably the hardest - I think km 2 to 1 was an average of 11% and I saw a stretch of 14% for while - but finally I knew I just had a few metres to go and the top was in sight:
I had done it! The major Strava segment was Col du Glandon rated at HC - 12.1 miles with an average 7% gradient and height gain of 4658ft. My time was 1hr 55min - none too shabby and just about in the 50% placing range. However to put in context - the KOM is held by Laurens ten Dam in 57 minutes - twice as fast!
I was very pleased with the time up. After a quick can of pop I started down. Given how twisty the roads were it took me 30 minutes just to descend. By the time I got back to Saint Jean de Maurienne I was pretty well done in. A burger for lunch in the town square went some way to make up for that. Here's the full ride on Strava: https://www.strava.com/activities/623639355
In summary - a very hard climb but very satisfying. Every bit as fearsome as it looked when driving up and down as well.
