Mystical climbs

We have an amazing ride planned along the great balcony roads and that mystical climb with 21 switchbacks of Alpe d'Huez with the added option to descend via Col de Sarenne and take an incredible balcony road that suspends over the valley floor.

Alpe d’Huez and the switchbacks After breakfast this morning, we head into the Alps. Before checking into our hotel this afternoon, we have a ride planned along the great balcony roads and that mystical climb with 21 switchbacks. We’ll start our ride with a short warm up in the valley, before reaching the base of …

Alpe d’Huez and the switchbacks

After breakfast this morning, we head into the Alps. Before checking into our hotel this afternoon, we have a ride planned along the great balcony roads and that mystical climb with 21 switchbacks. We’ll start our ride with a short warm up in the valley, before reaching the base of Alpe d’Huez.

The opening 3 km of the Alpe, where gradients are steepest, will inform you how heavy your legs have become. Rest assured gradients temper and your legs will come good. Signposts at each turn track your progress and remind you of champions past.

For a longer ride and nearly 3,000 m of vertical metres, you have the option to descend via Col de Sarenne and take an incredible balcony road that suspends over the valley floor. Once it joins onto the main climb, we climb for a little and follow another incredible balcony road that will take us back to our hotel.

Our hotel this evening is as Alpine chalet set at the foot of the Grand Rousses national park. The large rooms and delicious home cooked food will make us feel very comfortable during our first night in the Alps.

TODAY IN THE RACE
Stage 18: Embrun to Valloire, Mountain, 207 km

Touted as the biggest alpine stage of the tour, the route along Grandes Alpes features 2 hors categorie and a categorie 1 climb. The familiar names of Col d’Izoard and Col du Galibier sore above 2,000 m. Climbers will be eyeing off this stage and the competition for polka-dots as well as the yellow jersey will go to a new level. After the descent off Galibier, victory at the finish will require some risk-taking.