Alpine challenge summary

Saturday felt kind of wierd not getting up and riding but instead sitting on a coach for four hours back to Geneva where I picked up my car and drove all the way to Les Senies. All in all in the week I think we climbed around 12 major climbs, covered around 600 kms and ascended more than 13,500 m. No wonder my legs felt tired when I went out on the short Camon loop yesterday - mind you that was still the fastest I have ever done the loop by around 2 minutes. What a bike!

Day six - Briancon to Gap the long way

Rolled oout of Briancon at 8.15 am and straight into the 20 km climb of the HC Col D'Izoard. The going was easy at first and I climbed steadily with Neil from Spain. after he stopped for some knee medication, I climbed alone and the mountain just got steeper and steeper. By the top at 2,345 m it was blowing a gale and quite cool. So no hanging about, straight down and what a descent - I hit 85 km an hour at one point (though a village). I was only caught up by the others on stopping for coffee after about 60 kms. After lunch we continued towards Gap but on a scenic route, rather than down the N road. However this involved an 18% ascent at one point, enough to reduce me nearly to tears. The final climb (only done by some) just outside Gap was the Col De Manses. Not much of a mountain but famous as at the bottom is where Beloki crashed in the 2003 Tour De France and Armstrong zipped across the filed to avoid going down. So a good photo opportunity. We reached Gap after nearly 6 hours in the saddle. I have never been so quick to pack the bike away and get showered so I could start on the beers. Such a relief to have finished without mishap, nor for that matter any mechanical problems or punctures.

Day 5 - Alp D'Huez to Briancon

We departed the Alp out the back road by the tiny airport. The going was slow as the road surface was rougher than a Marseiiles brothel. We climbed up and over the Col de Serrans at 2,000 m, followed by a very tricky descent. From there it was the long slog up the Lautert for almost 30 km to an very tasty omlette lunch at the top. Into a headwind on the descent to Briancon proving very hard going on the way down. An easier day in terms of climbing though with the total only being some 1,400 m.

Day four Vailloire to Alp D'Huez

Problems with internet access and a certain laziness after completing the Alpine challenge mean that I am only now updating the remaining three days! Day four started cooler as I headed up the steep ramp out of Vailloire and on the the Galibier, the highest point of our tour at 2,645 m and the second of four HC climbs. The wind was a bit of an issue but I made it to the top in 1 hour 45 minutes and without too many problems. It was chilly at the top, so after the obligatory photo, we descended rapidly (just missing some cows) to the top of the Lauteret fir a coffee stop. From there it was a very welcome downhill for around 20 km until we turned to go up the stunning balcony road to L'Alps D'Huez. This involved climbing 4k at an incredible 15% average gradient, but the views along the top were certainly worth it. After a welcome lunch stop, it was up the gruelling Alp D'Huez itself (another HC) followed by some lovely beer. The meal in the evening was one of the best too. Poor night's sleep again not helped at all by my roomies snoring and farting.

Days two and three - glad they are over!

No internet access last night and very poor tonight so a double post. Yesterday morning we set off early again as the day was another absolute scorcher. We started climbing immediately up out of La Clusaz on the Col des Aravis topping out at around 1,500m. This I climbed well in just over half an hour (it was 8km long). After a tricky descent next up was the Col De Saises far more of a challenge at around 16 km long and rising to 1,650 m. Fabulous views though. After an hour or so at a roadside cafe in Beaufort, I decided rather foolishly to do the long loop which meant going up nearly 20 km up the Comte De Roseland followed by the Col Due Prie (1,749 m) and back down again. The beautiful barrage at the top was almost worth it. We then had a long shelp back along the baking valley floor to our hotel in La Lechere. Six hours on the bike and I was literally cooked and could not do anything for an hour. This morning we again started climbed after only 10 minutes up the very nasty Col De La Madeleine - rising from around 400 m to 2,000 m on an incredible 26 km climb. We were doing it the same day as a very serious race, with most of them passing me on the way up. The descent was lovely though, not so the hot valley floor into a headwind. I led a small group of the tail end race guys, helping them along. This meant that by the time I was at the bottom of the Col Du Telegraphe (12 km long and 850 m of climbing)I was literally fucked and the climb took alot out of me. Felt partly restored by a beer. 5 hours 20 on the bike today and 2,700 m of climbing. Now some three hours after finishing I feel more like normal - Although not looking forward to the Galibier and L'Alp D'huez tomorrow.

Day one - Geneva to La Clusaz

Top of the first climb of the tour!

We all set of quite early this morning, just after 8am in a vain attempt to beat the heat of the day. As we did not reach the hotel in la Clusaz until 4pm that was not exactly successful! We were soon out of Geneva though on a revised and we are told more scenic route than planned. Also longer by some 15 kms and an extra climb thrown in. First climb of the day and tour was the gentle Col De Saxel at around 950 m high. I felt good and climbed at the front. After a sketchy descent next up was the Col De Perret followed by the steeper climb up to the beautiful Plaine de Joux. Puffing and sweating by this stage I was still holding my own. Not bad as most of the group are serious club cyclists and some racers. Two big guys though were in a bad way by the time we were over the fourth climb and stopped for a much needed lunch in Bonneville (Gesier salad in my case). The final effort of the day was needed to get us up the long 20 km drag to the small but bustling town of La Clusaz nestled in the mountains at around 1040 metres. After a shower and change, explored the town which had a vide grenier in full flow - lots of bloody tat as usual. 102 kms done and 1970 metres climbed in the day, quite hard for a first day. Tomorrow we start a climb almost immediatly with no warm up (The Col De Aravis). Yipee! A good meal and night's rest is in order.

At the start in Geneva

Finished the drive off down to Ambilly just outside Geneva, arriving around 2pm. On the way the temperature just got hotter and hotter reaching about 33c here - Apparently it is going to be hot all week, which will bring its own challenges. Taking the car to park it at the airport for the week was a nightmare - only 7 miles but 45 minutes each way and then the cheapest car park was not in operation, so have had to park further away and for more money. Still should be easy to get out of town from there next Saturday. Was very surprised to find that because of a number of late drop outs we are only 12 in number - quite a contrast to 2006 when there were over 40. Most have done it before, including the mad American Mack (late 6o's) and my room mate Andrew who have done all 10. Have now got the bike and kit ready for the morning which is just as well as we are setting off at 8am to beat the heat. True to form Mack has suggested a slightly longer and more demanding route than the advertised 87 kms!

On the move!

D day has now arrived - last night went out with SWMBO and our good friends Mary and Fatrat for what I had termed 'The Last Supper' at the local curry house Khans. As a dare I wore my new very gay pink Giro D'Italia cycling top - Although I did remove it after a short while for fear that the smell of stale curry would accompany me up Alp D'Huez. I had Set out all my kit very carefully and around lunchtime set off in the car for Dover. An uneventful journey saw me at my hotel in Chalons Sur Champagne by around 9.15pm. Managed to dive in to the restaurant next door for a carafe of Merlot and grilled duck breast with more fat on it than Jordan's biggest assets. Actually the meal has cheered me up a bit as before I was feeling a bit down - wondering why I was putting myself though a week of cycling purgatory whilst Mrs M and Nick lie on the beach in Connecticut! Future posts this week will be dependent on the availability of wifi on my travels. Allez Allez as a friend of mine said to me today!

D day approaches

My departure for the Alps is now coming round very rapidly - tested out my legs and bike on a circuit including Kidd's Hill. My new Cateye computer working perfectly, including the climb information. And no wonder Kidd's Hill is tough, it has sections at 13 and 15%! Still made up there in under 7 minutes with a gear still to spare. Gradually getting all the kit together, am paranoid about leaving something crucial behind!

It is steep in Staffs!

Just back from weekend with the parents in the Staffordshire Moorlands. Took the bike and got out this morning for a ride. I had forgotten just how demanding the areas is for cycling, steep, poorly maintained 'heavy' roads together with rampant winds. I headed up to the top ridge near the Roaches outside Leek and was confronted by a hill with a 16% gradient!! Still made it up with no real issues, although it did affect my overall pace for a while after.

Now into last week before leaving for the Alps, so need to maintain some regular but not too strenuous rides over the next few days whilst getting all my kit ready. The final thing still waiting on from Wiggle is a pink! Giro D"Italia kit, which will be interesting particularly if I am climbing like a geriatric.

My bike fits!

Today spent over 2 hours with the BG fit expert at Wildside Cycles in Tunbridge Wells - where he conducted a range of tests to see how my bike was fitting, my riding style etc. It was reassuring to know that I wasn't too far out with things like saddle height etc but nonetheless the saddle was lowered by 6mm and brought forward by about 10mm! Apparently small changes can make a big difference and it certainly felt very fast and comfortable on the way back from Tunbridge Wells.

Earlier in the week the improved speed was confirmed by a ride to and from work (going the long way back) which knocked around 12 minutes off my previous best, a massive difference - and the highest average speed recorded in the UK in the past few years!

Gifts from the Planet X

On Friday it arrived - my new nanolight road bike from Planet X. Looks amazing and is so light (the frame weighing in at only 920 g). Mind you I have had to send the new multi function computer back as it just would not stop - I even supposedly managed over 800 kms in my sleep!.

Its first outing was with the Rutters yesterday morning, a casual loop down round Uckfield and back up over the forest. The bike seemed to fly up the inclines, although the SRAM red gears (as used by the pros) are taking some getting used to. Today rode to work and back, recording fastest ever average speed in UK and knocking over 12 minutes off the return trip.