We left Laragne last Monday and did a slight (well, it was supposed to be but ended up a very long) de-tour to L’Alpe-d-Huez which is one of the legendary and most challenging stages of the Tour de France. Each of the 21 turns are marked to help cyclists countdown the 9 miles and 3,670ft of elevation difference, which an average slope of 7.9%.
"L’Alpe-d’Huez lies at 1,860 m, facing south, at the foot of Grandes Rousses massif. The panoramic view from the top of Pic Blanc, culminating at some 3,330 m, spans across Ecrins National Park and its majestic peaks, encompassing one fifth of the French territory from Italy to the Massif central."
The scenery was simply stunning and will make watching the race all the more enjoyable now especially as we know that the drive up in the car was a second gear climb! We passed a good few riders on the way giving it a go but they looked more likely to have a heart attack than reach the top!
The Tour de France hits L’Alpe-d'Huez on Wed 23 July.
No comments:
Post a Comment