@cyclingalps
I like cycling. www.cycling-challenge.com
The stage will have the sexiest, steepest hairpins in Tour history :-)
I have lived in France for two decades and for the 1st time a TdF stage will go through my home village and climb my home mountain - stage 15. But sadly, I will be in Canada for family reasons. So here are a few photos of fun people I have met watching stages over the years:
My favourite France map is how many kisses you give when greeting a person. Moving from 3 kisses to 2 kisses?
My local grocery store: the official bananas of the Tour de France. #tdf
Lac d'Emosson is such.a beautiful place and cycling climb (first 2 photos). A secret? If you cross the dam there is a truly amazing little route that goes up much higher to a smaller dam/lake: Lac du Vieux Emosson. Amazing cycling or hiking.
I was slow and tired as always, but speechless at how beautiful the route was.
3/ Just before the finish of todays' stage is a turn off to an amazing climb to Cirque de Troumouse. Also, higher than Tourmalet, vaguely paved and hairpin-filled. Paradise. Part way up is a great detour to the Lac/Dam des Gloriettes. Beautiful. www.cycling-challenge.com/cirque-de-tr...
2/ The short extension from Tentes to Boucharo "might" be closed to bikes. Not certain current status. But the climb to Tentes is superb, and quiet as a dead end road/. When I visited just below Col des tentes I saw a cow giving birth. moooving.
1/ I missed today's TdF stage. But I hope they discussed the amazing climbs above the finish. If they kept cycling they would have reached 2 paved passes higher than Tourmalet. Col des Tentes @ 2207m & just beyond Col du Boucharo @ 2270m on Spanish border www.cycling-challenge.com/port-de-bouc...
And remember, the best paved climb in the Alpe d'Huez area is Col du Sabot. "Col du Sabot starts just a few kilometres from Alpe d’Huez. But it’s higher, harder, prettier, and has a fraction of the traffic. On the downside? Beware of gangs of sheep."
1st time I rode La Marmotte almost 2 decades ago, there were ambulances/accidents at the first 3 hairpins of Glandon descent. Years later I believe the the descent was neutralised. Steep, sharp hairpins and far too many riders over excited and not used to busy steep Alpine descents.
Pic du Midi de Bigorre is one of my favourite cycling adventure memories. Nice area to live!
This sign is (was?) on the far side of Col de la Croix for many years. #TdS The Swiss are lousy at math? :-)
My best tip for cycling Col de la Croix in winter? Follow the snow plough:
The Tour de Suisse climbs the Col de la Croix five times today (2x for the ladies and 3x for the men). Here is a plaque placed near the top of the col. It appears the route was opened in 1971? #TdS