Forum menu
done the climb from brides le bain up to the altiport above courcheval, also done the col de pailheres in the pyrenees.
hats off to these bloke on the tour for the speed the ride em.....drugs or no drugs. ๐
Telegraphe, Galibier and Alpe D'Huez. They're all "interesting" climbs right enough.
We did the TT route up Grenoble about ten years ago. About two thirds of the way up my HR had been at 190+ for about 30 minutes when I started losing colour from my vision and I thought I was about to die. I backed off at that point.
I was pretty fit at the time but still about two or three times slower than the pros that went up two days later...
We did the Port de Bales when we were in the Pyrenees, not a lot of fun on a big trail bike with fat sticky tyres on... I thought I might have to be humanely destroyed at the top. 1125 metres of climb with some sections over 11%, gah.
Drove up the Col du Turmalet to ride the 11km descent.
Done more of the Giro ones TBH.. Only done D'Huez and Tormalett..
Done Mont Ventoux, up the three different routes, after all it is the duty of every English man with a bike to visit the Tom Simpson memorial.
Colombiere, Aravis, Isoard, alpe d'huez, galibier, forclaz, ventuox... plus a few I can't remember right now. Did a few of these as 100 mile days, most I've done from both sides and seen the Tour pass over the Colombiere in 2010. Fantastic rides all of them.
Done the climb from Morzine to Avoriaz. On a borrowed bike, with borrowed size 11 roadie shoes...
Rachel
edit - and before anyone says anything - no - they were waaaay too big!
Ventoux three times (in one day), tourmalet, aspin, mente, and a few others. Got a date with d'huez in a month or so..
We did the TT route up Grenoble about ten years ago
I've done that Mountain TT route from Grenoble too. The only thing I remember about it was having a really nice banana spilt with loads of ice cream in a cafe at the top. ๐
Done a couple of the ones around Luchon in the Pyrenees and around Morzine in the Alps. Never done any of the "big" ones like Alpe d'Huez or Galibier. One day...
i rode uphill for 2 hrs 45 mins on the pailheres.
i cried at the top.
Done Ventoux, about 12 mins slower than Contador so was quite happy with that.
Edit - that was with a Camelbak on too
Alpe d'Huez( 10 times) ,Co du Galibier, Col du Glandon,Col de la Coix de Fer, Les Deaux Alpes
Col d'Ichere, Col de Marie Blanque, Col d'Aubisque, Col du Soulor
Col D'Izoard From Gillestrie
Ventoux and Tourmalet.
RealMan- 3 times in one day- you Jenson?
Done alp d'huez a couple of times.... in a car, and a bs too
Just come back from doing the Etape. So yes.
Telegraphe
Galibier
Alpe d huez
All amazing climbs ๐
i rode uphill for 2 hrs 45 mins on the pailheres.
i cried at the top.
was there no cafe ๐
Alpe d'huez in a transit van. It was painful.
perysoude,aspin,tourmelat,port de bales,superbagneres,portillon,aspet,
used a yeti asr-sl and then on last trip a maverick ml8, on aspet overtook a Japanese bloke on a folding brompton in a trilby and plus 4's Respect!
Not actualy in France but I felt that this thread needed a picture.... ๐
[img]
Cat 1 Hill Climb, Andalucia. Possibly from the Vuelta.
That climb they do at the end, you know to get those flowers and the teddy and kiss from the rent-a-slag. They do 3, I do 14 at a time.
Col du Glandon, Col du Telegraph, Col du Galibier, Alpe d'Huez and Ventoux
Alpe d huez
Col de Joux Plane
Col de Colombiere (both sides and the Col de Romme)
Col de Croix le Fry
Col des Aravis
Col des Saisies
Done a few on a loaded tourer, they must be easy on racing bikes.
Ventoux with my trailer and camping gear. And the ominously named col du mort.
Riding Alpine cols on a nice road bike has to be one of the best riding experiences.
We watched the Tour a couple of years ago from the top of the st bernard, after they passed through the gendarmes let all the bikes go first down a clear road back to the town, it was like the mega for roadies ) mental descent.
I've descended down to the Croix de Fer on an mtb event, does that count?
I've ridden up Portsdown Hill. Does that count?
Col de Petit Saint Bernard on a Heckler with coil shocks and 2.5" super-tackys!
whilst staying at Bikevillage Madelaine(both sides),Cormet de Roseland(both sides)Petit Bernard,Isseran,Croix de Ferre,Glandon,Alpe d'Huez,Saise,the finishes up to Courcheval,La Plagne,Les Arcs,Les Deux Alpes who said it was only for mountainbike holidays ๐ 
Cols d'Aubisque & du Soulor, de Tourmalet, d'Aspin, de Peyresaude, d'Aspet, de Port, du Poymorens all on the Raid Pyrenees. Tourmalet, Aspin & Peyresaude consecutively was an unbelievable day. The descents are definitely worth the climbs!
Peyresaude
How could I forget, done that one too. Felt like it was about 40 degrees, and bloody hurt.
3 times in one day- you Jenson?
๐ ?
Ditchling Beacon
Yes but not big ones - followed by the 2009 tour on the Pontalier - Verbier stage as far as Yverdon les Bains. Its a really good way to ride into Switzerland and the descent from Ste-Croix is awsome if a little scary at mission speed with panniers.
I did a few between school and university, the three hardest consecutive days were probably:
Col d'Aubisque
Col du Soulor
Col du Tormalet
Col de Aspin
Col de peyresourde
Col de Mente
Col de Port d'Aspet (edit: this could have been 2 days, the pain is too much to be able to remember)
Col de la Core
Col d'Agnes
Port de lers
Col de Petit Saint Bernard on a Heckler with coil shocks and 2.5" super-tackys!
Is you willy not getting a bit cold from all the waving your doing there?
Col De Farthing Common, probably every 3 or 4 months. So i can honestly say have ridden a TDF col at least 100 times
Done Alpe d'Huez, Madeline, Telegraph, Laurent Galibier but most enjoyable was les Deux Alpes in 2001. Rode it just before the Tour went up. Wasn't expecting the road to be open but when I saw some people going up I went back to the car and got the bike. Totally not expected to be able to do it. Was about the last rider the police let through. The crowds were fantastic and gave me special attention as I was wearing a yellow tee shirt ......... and baggies and a floppy sun hat. The Dutch were really partying. Think I got on Danish TV as I kept up with some minor celeb who was being filmed while riding up. He was obviously being helped/encouraged by the former pro Bo Hamburger who was doing the chatting to the celeb, camera van, crowd etc. Nice block with perfect English. Hardly breathing as he chatted while I gasped. Magic day apart from the descent after the stage was spoilt by the crowds walking down blocking the road.
Col de Petit Saint Bernard on a hustler and draggy tyres. Had been hoping to do Alpe D'Huez later this year but looks like we are going else where instead.
Just the Col de la Ramaz and the Joux Plane. Tough going never mind the heat. My Scottish body doesnt know what to do when it gets above 30 degrees!
Col de Petit St Bernard on a moped that had run out of petrol so had to pedal the whole way. Slow puncture on the back but no supertackies ๐
Forgot my packed lunch so had to ride back down & up again, too
I did Alpe D'Heuz on my Rockhopper. That beer at the top was the most satisfying ever. I'd recommend it to anyone, make sure you take your MTB, the VTT trails are ace.
I did Alpe D'Huez many years ago on a mountain bike. It took most of the day and it nearly killed me. I'm not fit enough for that kind of thing.
