Alpine Passes

I've just got back from an enjoyable few days cycling in the Alps with my two sons. Our purposes were rather different - I wanted to cross some passes, revisiting old favourites and adding on a couple of new ones; they wanted high altitude training for a savage triathlon that they're doing in Norway next week. That means big mileages and big climbs. With me, it's one or the other these days, but with a bit of planning we were able to meet everyone's needs. We rode separately, but had lunch together every day, shook hands on some big passes and generally had a very good time.

We chose passes that the Tour de France has been over, either this year or in the last couple. This gives good atmosphere, with the 'Go Wiggo' graffiti on the roads, and real humility when you compare the times of the Tour riders with your own. My passes were Petit St Bernard, Cormet de Roselend, Col des Saisies, Alpe d'Huez, and a double crossing of the Galibier, going Lauteret-Galibier-Telegraphe-Galibier-Lauteret. I've done each side before but the double was a treat.

Here's the team at the top of the Alpe d'Huez. It was a very hot afternoon - about 34 degrees at the bottom, probably more part way up. I attributed my rather pedestrian time to this, until I found that Henry (he's the Bianchi one) had taken more than ten minutes off his personal best. So, just like Lance Armstrong on the podium in Paris last week, you can see that the chap in third place has the wistful look of one who realises that his best times are behind him, and that it's downhill from here.

My ride reports wouldn't be complete without maps, so here are a couple - the Galibier and the Alpe d'Huez. The week's stats are 221.84 km; 6506.9 metres of ascent with a moving average of 13.62 kph. This last of course, is a balance of going up very slowly but down very fast.... Mark