Next Stop Individual Time Trial
La Haute Route 2011 - did someone say “I’m taking it easy today!”
Saint Chaffrey > Col du Glanon
Weather - HOT - 20-25C
Stats Time 1:00:25 - moving time 59:47
Distance 12.10 km
Elevation 1,027 m
Avg Speed 12 km/h
Max HR 162 bpm
Avg HR 154 bpm
Winning Time 43:03 AMAZING!
The official review of the Haute Route Stage Four from the organizers is below. Plus to read the news of the day from my roomie on tour - click here. A few 'official pix' from the organisers - look it's me - can be found here, note to self don’t do stupid things for the camera, because you look stupid. Plus to see video footage from the Haute Route check here
Food - ah muesli, first time in almost a week since I’ve had it for breakfast. I think that gave me the power to get up that little hill today. This is closely followed by the dessert I had at lunch. I love this photo as the guy behind me looks a tad jealous! This is my ‘sorry, I am not sharing this’ face.
Weather - perfect weather for a hill climb - max temp 25C.
Mode of Transport - motorbikes, who cannot appreciate being escorted to, during and after the start of stages by the 24+ motorbike drivers here at Haute Route.
Conversation - the insider knowledge from the French cyclists who knew exactly the way that Col du Glanon goes. Apart from being up for 12k, they let me know that there is no way you can go out ‘hard’ as it just continues to climb - pretty much at the same gradient for the entire way.Animal - it has to be the crickets that are on the road, they gave me a small entertainment factor for the hour that I was slogging it out today.
What else of note - unfortunately I had an Andy Schleck moment today. My chain fell off during a gear shift in the last 750m before the summit! I was hoping for under an hour, official time 1:00:02, plus I guess I should spend less time taking photos and more time riding. Just to be clear, I’m not bitter but love the fact that you go into a day, like today, thinking I’ll treat it as a rest day and take it easy.
Parting thought of the day/blog: tomorrow is going to be hard. Then again, my legs feel a whole lot better, my back doesn’t hurt anymore and I can feel by big toe again. A summation of the day from the organisers:
What Claude Droussent, French cycling specialist, says about Stage 4
STAGE 4 - SERRE CHEVALIER TO COL DU GRANON
“Isn’t this a funny idea, this time trial on the Granon roads, unknown col leading nowhere except 2413 meters high, facing the magnificent Ecrins National Park? My advice: warm up, for example whilst going up to the Lautaret! Because the Granon, where the pros went through (and arrived as it’s a dead-end) only once in 1986 with a Lemmond-Zimmermann duel, is a tough one right from the bottom and exit of Saint-Chaffrey. So 12 kilometres only on the menu, but 11 with hellish gradients, rarely below 8% with bits at 11-12%. On this fourth day and with what’s been served the day before, respect to those who will take less than an hour to get to the top.”
Main feature of Stage 4
· 1st start from Serre Chevalier (St Chaffrey) on 24th August at 9:00
· First arrival at the Col du Granon around 10:20
· 12 timed kilometres
· 1’100 metres of ascent
· 1 full refreshment station at the Col du Granon - TdF once
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A little about Will Levy, la Haute Route and twowheeltours.com.au
TWT, mtnbike.com.au and bike shuttle.com.au are three companies based out of Sydney that offer road and mountain bike trips from Sydney to Canberra, New Zealand and Europe. We also transport/shuttle bikes to various races around Australia including the Noosa Triathlon and the Tour Down Under.
Will is apart of the Haute Route Race in 2011, an innovative, prestigious and international cyclosportive with a unique concept: link Geneva to Nice by road bike in 7 timed consecutive stages on a legendary race course taking on 15 mythical cols and ascents of the Alps whilst covering 730 km.
twowheeltours.com.au will be at the Haute Route again in 2012 - we will be providing logistical support for riders, and their non riding partners, from Australia and New Zealand. This will include early arrival and pickup from Geneva Airport or CFF train station. Riders and their non riding partners will have first class accommodation on the lead up the race. During the race, non riders will have a bilingual guide taking them to daily activities. The trip will conclude with an extra two days, again in first class accommodation in Nice on the Promenade des Anglais.
Will is apart of the Haute Route Race in 2011, an innovative, prestigious and international cyclosportive with a unique concept: link Geneva to Nice by road bike in 7 timed consecutive stages on a legendary race course taking on 15 mythical cols and ascents of the Alps whilst covering 730 km.
twowheeltours.com.au will be at the Haute Route again in 2012 - we will be providing logistical support for riders, and their non riding partners, from Australia and New Zealand. This will include early arrival and pickup from Geneva Airport or CFF train station. Riders and their non riding partners will have first class accommodation on the lead up the race. During the race, non riders will have a bilingual guide taking them to daily activities. The trip will conclude with an extra two days, again in first class accommodation in Nice on the Promenade des Anglais.
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