I’m just back from a couple of weeks riding in France, Switzerland and Italy. Bit of climbing and Via Ferrata too, but mostly riding; often in the pishin’ rain.

I was a bit limited in what I could do given that I was on my own (stuartie naemates) and was thus reluctant to commit to multi-col epics where a crash or a mechanical could have left me seriously stranded. I had a couple of “moments” in the Vosges which left me feeling a bit vulnerable in this respect.

The first incident was on a recce ride for the Tour stage finishing on Le Planche des Belles Filles. I’d ridden up(mostly) from Saint-Maurice-sur-Moselle to the Ballon de Servance. The rain was intensifying as I neared the top and shifted the chain, irredeemably, into the spokes. The only thing I could do was remove the links which weren’t mashed into the too-small space between the hub shell and the cassette and throw them away in a rage. Thus jury-rigged, I had a bike which would allow me to freewheel and “hobby horse” back down to Le Thillot, in an ever-intensifying thunderstorm. A cold 6km walk back up the valley to Saint-Maurice s/M in roadie shoes with a stricken bike, rounded off a perfect day!

[url=https://flic.kr/p/osrFds]busted1[/url] by stuartie_c, on Flickr

Episode 2 was more of a “disaster waiting to happen” ride than an actual incident. Bastille Day had dawned damp and chilly so I baled on my original plan which was to ride to the stage finish and wait in the sun until the heroic battle between Contador and Nibali unfolded before my awestruck eyes. Instead, I reckoned on a morning ride followed by a wander down to Le Thillot to see the Tour carnival. I headed east over the easy Col de Bussang and down the other side towards the Rhine Valley. Down the other side turned out to be rather a long way and it was only when I’d bottomed out in what felt like another realm entirely that I realised I’d left my toolkit behind (including spare tube…). By now the rain was threatening and I’d discovered I’d not charged my phone so Google maps was a non-starter. Also, being Bastille Day, every village I passed through was utterly deserted. Utterly.

Eventually, I made my way up over the rather steep Col de Hundsruth and down into Masevaux where it was necessary to sit in a bus shelter for half an hour because the rain was shitting it down and bouncing back off the road. At one point, what appeared to be the oldest lady in France drove by at walking pace in a battered old Clio. She may well have had special dispensation to be flouting the apparent curfew since it was entirely possible she had actually been present at the Storming of the Bastille. Contemplating this weird tableau and the vicissitudes of modern life, I made it to the Ballon d’Alsace on eerily quiet but beautifully atmospheric roads. This was familiar ground for me so I could finally relax and enjoy the misty, cold descent back to the campsite before only just getting to Le Thillot on time to see the Tour pass through. Bertie Contador had a worse day though.

[url=https://flic.kr/p/osrFhA]ballon2[/url] by stuartie_c, on Flickr

So, galvanized by these rides, I spent a very enjoyable few days staying with friends in the Jura. Good riding over the Cols de Mollendruz and Marchairuz and some climbing on the Miroir d’Argentine. We had to bail 6 pitches into a 14 pitch route because it was just too hot and there were no actual holds, in the traditional sense. Friction climbing on steep limestone slabs isn’t really in my skillset.

Onto Italy. I’d hitch-hiked over the Brenner Pass in 1989 with a pal to go climbing in the Dolomites and my admittedly-uncertain memory was of a narrow, winding road and the reek of clutch and brakes. It’s a **** three-lane motorway nowadays and I was glad to get to Cortina in the evening sunshine. The next morning I jogged up to the start of the Via Ferrata onto Col Rosa only to find that 50 careless stone-dropping Italians had beaten me to it. It’s a lovely climb up a steep ridge to a brilliant viewpoint over the Cristallo and Tofana groups followed by a great run back down. I thought about riding up to Misurina in the afternoon but loafing around in the sun won the day.

[url=https://flic.kr/p/oJUzuW]colrosa2[/url] by stuartie_c, on Flickr

[url=https://flic.kr/p/osrWqu]tofanademezzo1[/url] by stuartie_c, on Flickr

[url=https://flic.kr/p/oskppz]colrosa1[/url] by stuartie_c, on Flickr

Of course, the weather turned crappy the next morning. I managed to ride over the Passo Tre Crocci and up to Misurina before getting caught in a thunderstorm. Cue a cold, wet descent to the SS51 and a terrifying ride back to Cortina on terrible road surfaces with oblivious Italian drivers for company. The road surface appears to have sloughed off the side leaving long, snaking cracks right along the camber which means you either ride RIGHT at the edge with no margin for error, or you ride near the crown with the traffic leaving no space as it barges past at speed. I’d not ride that road again in a hurry.

The next day I was getting frustrated by riding in shitty conditions and not getting enough miles in. I bagged the very steep climb up to the Tre Cime de Lavaredo from Misurina and chanced it in the afternoon to get the lovely climb up to Passo Giau as well. For good measure, I tacked on Passo Falzarego, the Pass of the False King, just because it was there.

[url=https://flic.kr/p/oJWqzv]trecime4[/url] by stuartie_c, on Flickr

[url=https://flic.kr/p/oGNhyu]trecime1[/url] by stuartie_c, on Flickr

[url=https://flic.kr/p/oskpsR]trecime2[/url] by stuartie_c, on Flickr

Without really admitting it to myself, I’d developed a bit of an obsession with Monte Zoncolan and being only two hours away and having a bike it would have been rude not to have at least had a go. The climb from Ovaro has an average gradient of 12% over 10km which is fairly alarming at face value. When you consider that there are some “easy” bits like the false flat through Liiaris, it does suggest that other sections are really very steep indeed. As you round the corner out of Liiaris, the road just rears up on you and doesn’t really relent until you get to the tunnels near the top. I gurned and grimaced my way up in the heat of the afternoon with sweat lashing off me but eventually made it. It is certainly the hardest climb I’ve ever done on a bike but if you’re ever in the area it comes highly recommended! Oh, and you’re on the brakes ALL the way back down. Letting go feels like free-fall.

[url=https://flic.kr/p/oJUznS]zoncolan3[/url] by stuartie_c, on Flickr

[url=https://flic.kr/p/oskpfM]zoncolan2[/url] by stuartie_c, on Flickr

[url=https://flic.kr/p/oJyjRX]zoncolan1[/url] by stuartie_c, on Flickr

Lake Como was where I fetched up next. The standout ride of my trip was the circuit from Bellagio up to the chapel of the Madonna Il Ghisallo, the patron saint of cyclists. The chapel is a very famous shrine to cycling and is crammed full of memorabilia like the bikes ridden by Fausto Coppi and Gino Bartali in the 1949 TdF. Great place; humbling to stand there and contemplate the human endeavour that went into all these trophies and jerseys.

[url=https://flic.kr/p/osrW8q]coppibike1[/url] by stuartie_c, on Flickr

[url=https://flic.kr/p/oskpj4]ghisallo1[/url] by stuartie_c, on Flickr

After a short descent and another pleasant climb you arrive at the bottom of the Muro de Sormano which was controversially used in the Giro d’ Lombardia in the early 60s. Controversial because it’s almost too steep to ride. It’s only 1.6km long but the average gradient is 17% and it is certainly over 25% at some points. More gurning, grimacing and sweating like a whoor in church gets one to the top, if not in the best style. Every metre of height gain is painted on the road along with quotes from Gino Bartali which you can not only read but check the grammar and punctuation because you’re riding so slowly. It’s like an interactive open-air museum.

[url=https://flic.kr/p/oGNhpS]sormano2[/url] by stuartie_c, on Flickr

[url=https://flic.kr/p/oskB4L]sormano1[/url] by stuartie_c, on Flickr

Finally, back to France. I stayed a couple of days in Le Bourg d’Oisans before rain drove me out and I fled back to Blighty. A beautiful, sunny ride up to the Col du Glandon and the Croix de Fer was made doubly enjoyable by the company of a lovely Dutch girl who I had to work hard to keep up with. Alas her (equally lovely) boyfriend was waiting for her at the top.

[url=https://flic.kr/p/oGNhrL]glandon1[/url] by stuartie_c, on Flickr

[url=https://flic.kr/p/oJQ8sM]glandon2[/url] by stuartie_c, on Flickr

[url=https://flic.kr/p/oGUxry]croixdefer1[/url] by stuartie_c, on Flickr

The plan for my last two days was a climb to Alpe d’Huez before driving over to the Val de Maurienne for the Col de Madelaine and the Galibier. It was raining gently as I started up the 21 hairpins to the Alpe. By hairpin 10 it was becoming really very insistent. I stood beneath a tree for a bit but it got too wet there so I pressed onto Huez and found another bus shelter with the rain shitting it down and bouncing off the road. Staring up at the Alpe looming above, I decided it wasn’t going to stop anytime soon so pressed on, cold and stiff, to the top. The descent in the deluge with water running in waves down the road was memorable for all the wrong reasons. I was shaking and probably hypothermic at the bottom to the extent that it took a great effort of will to walk to the shower and press the button for hot water. After that it was all I could do to climb into my sleeping bag and shiver myself to sleep. Madelaine and Galibier would have to wait for another day. Perhaps understandably, I have no photos…

EDITED

We did the Col Du Bales down in the pyrenees. Was cool seeing the TDF spray on the tarmac but other than that, an experience with no redeeming features. Never again!

Nice work. Am jealous.

Lots of rambling words that I’ll read later. Cool photos though and some nice climbs.

good write up and enjoyable to see you winging it around Europe to enjoy yourself.
Wish i was in the position to do a trip like that

Thanks for posting – an interesting Friday afternoon read

“A beautiful, sunny ride up to the Col du Glandon and the Croix de Fer”

One of my favourite rides that I have been lucky enough to do in glorious sunshine every time.

I even saw a Marmot on one occasion!!

The Bellagio – Ghisallo – Muro di Sormano – down to Como – back to Bellagio route was one of my favorite rides ever, including the Church, Museum and a couple of coffee stops.

Looks like a great trip!

Thanks for posting, a really good read and some nice pics.
I had a trip to Italy this year but didn’t get to do the Muro due to thunder storms. Did do the Stelvio in snow and I would recommend that you give it a go sometime. It really is spectacular. Also did the Gavia, which was hard and had a lovely ride round Lake Maggiore too.
Did some of the French climbs last summer including Iseran, Agnello, Izoard and Alpe d’Huez.

Cheers guys!

It was a great trip, despite the overwhelming feeling of being alone in the universe 😉 And the driving; so much driving.

Beej – agree with you on the Como circuit. It has a bit of everything – brilliant climbs, history, a tremendous, flowing descent, views…

RichT – would have loved to have added the Stelvio and Gavia but the forecast for Bormio area always looked pretty poor so I didn’t risk it. Next year…

Brilliant stuff Stuartie, an inspirational use of a summer holiday. Chapeau!

Thanks for posting. Great read, better than most of the tosh we get!

Cheers dude!

Though the spurious comma and the slightly ham-fisted grammar are bugging me…

Great read Stuartie, enjoyed that!

Come join me in Norway next September, I’ve got a brute of a route planned that I am currently in no shape to ride! 😕

BM’d for a read later, ta

13FM – I’d LOVE to do that but don’t get hols until October.

Good one Stuartie .
I have only ever passed through the Como area on motorbike,that Bellagio loop looks great.
Shame that there was so many wet days ,but right choice with Galibier,the first time I did it there was proper hail at the top and I was wishing I hadn’t left the valley.

Norway in October you say? Madman! 8)

Really like the look/sound of that Sormano climb, I like little things painted on the road to keep you distracted

Sounds ace, have thought about a solo Alps trip…inspired!

enjoyed reading that, thanks for posting