Well here I am again, lining up for yet another
CycloSportive (Gran Fondo). Last for 2012.
It is 176 kms in length, but more importantly,
it has around 5000M of climbing, and has Four
HC (beyond classification) climbs,
and One Category 2 climb.
You would be hard pressed to find any Tour Stage
which is as difficult as this, a huge amount of climbing and some pretty
exciting descents.
It is set in the Mecca of European Cycling, in
Bourg D’Oisans, just below the mythical Alpe ‘d Huez.
As it is in the High Alpes weather can play an
very important part.
I had been inspired to do this event for many
years since reading a great article by David Olle (Top Bike) many years again,
who described just how difficult it was.
In the intervening years I had done most of the
climbs, but only one per day!!!
That was bad enough, to do them all during a
race was beyond me.
Or so I thought.
However, after three weeks riding in Europe,
almost every day in the mountains, I thought, ‘as good a time as any’. I was as
fit as I can be anyway, and I had
the day free.
So, 0700 on a beautiful but cold Saturday
morning found me on the start line at Bourg D’Oisans with 7000 other cyclists
after a very chilly ride down the hill from top of Alpe ‘d Huez where our hotel
was located.
The gun went off, 0730, my group of 2000 riders
went off, two thousand already gone, three thousand behind, hoping not to see
any back markers for a few hours, up and over the first climb, only 38 kms
(!!!), the Col du Glandon, first HC
climb, where CYCLOMUNDO our Tour company had a feed stop. There was also a
normal event feed stop there as well, Total Chaos, already thousands of
stressed riders fighting over drinks and water!!!
It was going to be a busy weekend up here as
tomorrow,, Sunday July 8th, the Etape du Tour was riding up the Glandon as part of the course from
Albertville to La Toussuire. And of course the real Tour de France riders a few
days after that.
It was quite difficult to know what dress to wear, as it’s 400M in the valley, 2700M at the top, big temperature differences, I comprised and took the lot.
Big descent off Glandon , neutralized these days after a cyclist was cactus after a
big crash a couple of years ago.
Horrible drag up the valley from St Jean de
Maurienne to St Michael de Maurienne, hot and windy, dark thoughts starting to appear.
Still a LONG way to go.
Up the Col
du Telegraphe, second HC climb,
tough because of the gravel road surfacing going on but OK.
Down into Valloire, at the bottom of Galibier, another
truly chaotic scene at the food stop, bought a Bagette avec Fromage and Coke
from a shop and off to do the BIG one.
Col du
Galibier, the third HC climb for the day, 17 kms to the top, two hours for me.
Big difference though, 3500M of climbing to get
there this time, and there was NO way I was able to lift bike up.
Off on a big 50 km descent (not what you see in
Australia much), to Bourg D’Osains, AGAIN.
Lots of really tricky dark tunnels where big
time crashes occur regularly, one of the Aussies in our
group crashed out here last year with # clavicle, # ribs, and concussion, and
was helicoptered to Grenoble University Hospital, surprised he came back.
Safely navigated, huge crowds at the bottom of
Alpe ‘d Huez, thousands of people milling around, cars, food stops everywhere,
support vehicles, tour groups everywhere, a real circus. Just like the TdF !!!!
Late afternoon, VERY hot, just like 2007 when
Rob Sloane and I had a terrible time in the Etape du Tour which finished on top
of Alpe d’ Huez.
Oh No I thought, not another wipe out. However a
more positive attitude this time, gritted teeth, selected the 29 and raced up.
Well, perhaps an exaggeration, 1 hr 45 mins,
which I though was OK considering it was 36C and I was hot and bothered.
Marco Pantani can rest easy, wherever he is.
Quite an entertaining climb as at every Lacet (turn) there would have had be at least a dozen
riders just lying there thinking of a Pl
an B.
Lots and lots of cyclists walking their bikes
too, a long way to the top that way.
Got to the finish line in what was, for me was
an OK time, completely stuffed, biggest and hardest ride I have ever done, bar
none.
But also the best. Bar none.
I can highly recommend it.
Probably worth training for though.
How did I go??
Considering all the food stops and photo
opportunities I was pretty happy with my time, 10 Hours and 48 mins.
I was in what the Italians call, the ‘Super
Gentleman’ Category, 60-66 Ans.
Bunch of geriatrics really.
That’s it for 2012, hopefully back
LEW
http://app.strava.com/rides/12750950
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