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@maxl
[SIZE=3]OK guys, for anyone who's interested here's some details of my ride so far. It's the rest day and I'm sitting in a chalet in La Grave at 1477m. [/SIZE]
Day 1:
78.5 miles
2500 m climbing
Started off from Lake Geneva, where we'd been swimming the day before. Long drag up to Morzine where the Col de Joux Plane started... where Armstrong bonked badly in '03(?) and where Landis did made his amazing juiced-up break in '06. Steep and hard at the start, then winding through Alpine meadows with herds of brown cows, their bells all clanking in different tones as they grazed. Eerie sound, cool to see. Ended the day at the top of the Col de la Colombiere., climbing via Scionzier. 16.3km up to 1647m, averaging 6.5%. Really tough final push. Hot and exposed, averaging over 10% in the last couple of km.
Day 2:
76.4 miles
3700m climbing
Four cols today, Aravis, Saisies, Meraillet and the Cormet de Roseland. First couple were nice. Chain snapped at the bottom of Saisie and, as I was mending it, Denis Menchov and Rabobank came haring round the corner and flashed up the hill I'd just decended. Really fast. A minute later, AG2R came down the other way, a bit slower... they were all talking about Menchov! Apparently all the teams are training around here, but try to keep their distance as they don't want the others to know what they're practising for the Tour. Spent the whole day playing catch up. Very beautiful climbs over Rosseland and then a really hairy descent. Mostly I am enjoying them, but I was tired and hungry and it requires so much concentration. Huge graffiti on the wall saying 'Johann' where Bruneel went over the edge a long time ago. Finally, a long, depressing climb up to Tignes, where we were staying.
Day 3
97.1 miles
3096m climbing
Cycled down and over the dam and into Val d'Isere. Ski resorts are funny off season, full of cyclists. Through the town and up the road to Iserand (the road doesn't exist in the winter!). Iserand takes you up to 2770m, the highest we're gonna get. It was really steady and fun – a gentle 5-6%. We climbed up the side of a beautiful valley, could see Fireflies graffiti on the road below from 2004. It sticks around forever – on the big climbs you get to see all the names – Mayo, Ullrich, etc... There's really no air that high, you feel it a lot – and it's weird going from 25 degree heat into the snow! Down from there was the best descent ever, and then I chainganged it with two others to the foot of Telegraphe. We were absolutely flying, really put the hammer down, because it's about 35 miles but on a slight downhill! Dropped from 2770 to 710m. Incredible. Had a crepe at the bottom, in Saint Michel, then climbed it on my own. Took slightly over an hour to cover the 11.8km at 7.3% - which is hooning it considering how hot it was. Tar was melting on the road. Was listening to my iPod all the way up. Then went up Galibier, which is usually reached by the Telegraphe after a short descent. Fairly early on I realised that I'd gone too hard on Telegraphe. Galibier is 18km long, gaining 1245m, but the last 8km are all between 8 and 9%. So I suffered up all of the switchbacks on Galibier. After about 2000m altitude it gets really barren, and the weather was closing in. Couldn't decide whether to puke or cry on the last bit, it was pretty emotional. Did it in 1hr45 - so 35km and 2000m of climbing in about 3 hours. People talk bollocks about mountains, but I can understand it now. Galibier really taught me a lesson, it was an experience I will never forget. Soon as I got to the top it started hailing, so it was a long, wet descent through Serre Chevalier and off the Col de Lauteret to La Grave. This day had everything. Best day of cycling ever, without a doubt.
Rest day today. Didn't do the optional climb of Alpe d'Huez. Knackered and figured that some of youse wanted to do it so we could pop back over sometime (this year?). I'm keeping all my route maps and things every day. Tomorrow... Izoard and some more, then we'll be making our way towards Ventoux. I'm pretty achy but looking forward to it all. This is definitely the hardest thing I've ever done, possibly also the best.
This site is really good btw: http://www.climbbybike.com/climb.asp?Col=Col-de-la-Colombi%E8re&qryMountainID=6095