Bourg d’Oisans - Verney [15.0km]
My ride partner (MM) and myself readied ourselves for the long day ahead. The adrenalin had build to its crescendo. The pen started to empty and it only took 5 minutes to cross the start line. Here goes... The road out Bourg is long, straight and slightly downhill. With the large numbers of riders heading down the road the pace was swift, and there were plenty of fast wheels to follow. This is the calm before the storm, it is not a difficult section, it comes early when you have plenty of energy, but you know that there is a helluva lot to come. The route leads to the Barrage du Verney, the road switchbacking up the face of the dam, which put my lungs through their early paces, warming them up for the Glandon, the lower slopes of which we had already arrived at.
Ascent of Col du Glandon [20.7km @ 4.8%]
The first 8k of the Glandon climb up through the trees, initially at 4%, then 7% and up to 10%. The road is virtually straight, no switchbacks, just climbing up through the forest. It was hard work. It might only have been 8am but that doesn't mean it's not hot work. I reached Le Rivier and the road flattened and then started to descend. I had been told that halfway up the climb the road dipped but had not expected this. There are 4 switchbacks as the road drops a hundred or so meters in a kilometre and a half.
The climb stats are misleading in this manner. The average over 20km might be a shade under 5%, but in reality, excluding the respite of a couple of brief descents means that the climbing averages 7%.
At the bottom of this drop there is a sharpish right and then the road climbs, sharply at 11%, and stays at that percentage for the next kilometre. The trees have disappeared and the road climbs up rocky valley. This section is the 'meat' of the climb and it's hard work. The road crosses under the Grand-Maison dam and then zig-zags up left side of the valley. I can now see up the rest of the valley to the Col at the top and it is a long way away.
By now I'm in a very low gear. Spinning my legs away trying to keep my heart rate under control. A couple of points up the climb I realise I pushed too hard and throttle back. My average heart rate for the climb was 158 (82%) which is probably OK. It's the times that the rate rises above 160 where I digging in a little deep, calling on reserves that I need to save for later in the day.
The road drops for just over a kilometre and then starts to climbs again for the final 3km towards the col, through the grassy meadows, turns left and winds up to the peak, and to the first water station. The climb may have taken 1hr45, but it was still 1 down 3 to go...
Glandon - St Michel de Maurienne [45.7km]
I made the most of the feed station at the top – filling both bidons, taking a quick comfort break and grabbing a handful of dried apricots – but it was soon time to go. The descent of the Glandon is hairy. It’s narrow, it's twisty, and whilst there was little traffic the road wasn't officially closed so it was a case of 'descender beware'. Still, it made a nice change after 2 hours at 12-15kph to be making some headway, and at 60+kph it didn't take too long to descend the 1,500metres to the bottom of the valley. My nutrition plan had called for a bar on the descent, however, having had a bite I put the bar back into my bento/toptube bag, only to see it jump out as I went over a rut in the road along with one of my gels. Hmmm, I still had enough but couldn't afford to waste anymore.
At St Marie de Cuines, I sat up and took a moment to eat a bar, this worked out to be a poor decision, as exiting the village towards the dual carriageway it became apparent that we had missed a very large group heading up the road. It was 20-odd km up the valley to Maurienne and this is not the time to be on the front pushing into the wind... There was just a couple of us together and we pushed on in the hope that we could catch the group ahead. We seemed to be edging closer to them, little by little, but it was at a cost - my heart rate was up at 155, at a time when I had been hoping to get my breath back a little. We had now been caught by a group, so I tucked in at the back, but couldn't hold the wheel - the pace was just to high, my heart rate was 160, I was in my red zone and with the Telegraphe & Galibier just up ahead I needed to back off. MM & I pushed down the road alone. This was less than ideal but there was little choice. It wasn't until the approach to Maurienne that a group came through that I could stick with. I took shelter for a few K but it was a little late, I had used up some reserves that I would rather have saved for later in the day.
Ascent of Col du Telegraphe [11.5km @ 7.5%]
Leaving St Michel de Maurienne, the road turns right, crosses under the autoroute, over the river, and then starts going up. The Telegraphe is a consistent climb, winding up through the trees, turn after turn, steady at between 6%-8%. Halfway up we reached a water station, that looked like it had been ravaged by a pack of (thirsty) wolves. The day had started fairly cool but it was now around midday and getting hot. However, I still had water and was feeling just about OK. My pace up this Category 1 climb was only about 10kph - at this speed 6km seems along way - taking approx 6 minutes before seeing the next sign counting down the km to the summit means that the climb seems to just go on & on. But after 1hr 15mins of head down, constant effort the top came into view. Two climbs done, two to go...
Telegraphe - Valloire Feed [7.0km]
The plan had not been to stop at the Telegraphe water station, since it was 20 minutes almost all downhill to the next feed station, however, at the top I had run out of water and, to be honest after 1:15 of slogging up the Telegraphe, a couple of minutes and a water top up seemed like a good idea. It wasn't. The queue for the water was slow and a rest at this point so close to the feed was unnecessary. The descent from the Telegraphe is just a little too short, meaning the small alpine town of Valloire comes round just a little too quickly. Through the town and the climb of the Galibier starts, fairly gently at first...
Ascent of Col du Galibier [17.0km @ 7.1%]
...then more steeply as the road rises to 7% and the first feed station does not come for 2.5k When I got there I felt I was due a break. I filled my bottles and made up my energy drink (using prepacked powder pouches), topped up the bento box with dried apricots (good) and dried pineapple (not so), took a comfort break and a breather; by the time I was back on the bike I'd taken 15 minutes at the feed station. How did that happen?
The next 3km climbs up the lush valley at a gentle 3% through the meadows, past the aeroport, before steepening a little for a further 4k. This part of the climb is fairly straightforward and I was able to get into a good rhythm and make some headway. I had not cycled the climb before and did not know which way the road was going to turn, so was almost at Plan-Lachat when I noticed the road sweep tight round to the right and start switchbacking up the other side of the open valley. This is where the climb proper starts. From here it is 9.5km to go at an average gradient of 7.8% with no let up. I ground my way up the switchbacks, long ago having put it into my spinning gear. But by now even this gear felt like a struggle to spin - I averaged only 60 rpm for the duration of the climb.
The large groups that had been on the road up the earlier climbs had disappeared and looking up the road there was a drawn out line of riders making their way up the hill. Very little was being said at this stage of the race - after getting on for 7hrs of riding - everyone is toiling away fighting their own personal cycling demons.
With 4k to go, the road crests a false summit and I can see the col. The treeline was way behind now and the snowline fast approaching. The last few minutes of the climb switchback up to the moonscape-esque summit and seem to take an age. But finally I am at the top, at the feed station, and at the end of the 3rd of the 4 climbs. I take 5 minutes to get my breath back and top up my water bottles - once again adding a sachet of energy powder to each bottle - every ounce of energy is going to count.
Galibier - Bourg d’Oisans [46.5km]
To be descending again is wondrous. The first few kilometres of switchbacks down to the Col d'Lautaret are tight, twisty and require plenty of respect. Then the road straightens up somewhat for the majority of the descent down the mountain. The road is fast, but the poor surface and the mainly, lengthy, dark tunnels mean it feels a little precarious at times. Having had a feed & drink at the top I was feeling fresh(ish) and took the opportunity to get my head down and my speed up, making the most of the downhill to keep my speed high. There were a few groups forming on the descent and this offered a few chances to get a little draft before I kicked on again in search of the next group down the road. The road to Bourg is almost all downhill for 40 odd kilometres with the exception of a little kick up near Deux Alpes and then a final few kilometres of flat that follow the river into Bourg - the prospect of the final climb was fast - fortunately there was a decent group just ahead that I was able to hop onto the back as it formed into a long paceline streaming its way towards the Alpe.
Ascent of L’Alpe d’Huez [14.0km @ 8.9%]
I pulled of the road at the Bourg feed station - the next 'hour and something' was going to be long, slow, hot, hard, thirsty work - I needed to grab some food and top up my bottles. There was no more putting it off. I rolled out the feed station and set off towards the climb. I glanced at my bike computer, 160k done, in 8hr55, and just the Alpe to climb. I was on schedule - I had 1hr40 to finish with a Silver. The Alpe is the only part of this course I had ever seen - I was staying in Alpe d'Huez and had driven the up climb two days earlier to reach the resort. Even in the car, with 200bhp to power up the road it had seemed steep. Very steep. I was a little worried about the pain that lay ahead but had no doubts that I could get there. Just 14k to go...The first 500metres is pretty flat, the road bends to the left and slowly starts to go upwards. Then, after 1k it hits you, the road ramps up to 10% and we're not even at the first of the infamous 21 hairpins (which are marked with panels honouring the winners of each Tour de France stage that has finished there).
I rounded the first hairpin (21-Coppi/Armstrong) and looked up the road, the slope didn't let up. In fact it remains at 10% for 2k before levelling ever-so-slightly to 8-ish% for the remainder of the climb. My pace was slow (9kph), but at least it was steady. I counted off the bends as the slowly past... 20, 19, 18... I passed the church and the first of the water stations but didn't stop... 14, 13, 12... The sun was basked down and I could really feel the heat. I had my top opened right up trying to use any breeze stay cool - it wasn't working. I passed plenty of riders who had sought shade by the side of the road. I preferred to keep moving, if I stopped I was not sure I'd ever get started again... 8, 7, 6... I reached Huez, my confidence lifted. Just 5k to go and as I'd cycled up from here the day before I knew it was possible now.
I looked at my watch, I'd been going for a little over 10hrs. I did the mental arithmetic, if I kept up a good pace then Silver was still on the cards. 4k to go. Time for a final push. MM upped the pace and I followed his back wheel. Pretty much like I had done up all of the climbs only this time the pace was faster. 2 bends to go, just 3k. Then round the final hairpin (1- Guerini) less than 2k to go. I was, hot, tired and my heart rate felt close to max, I pushed on. I wobbled. Then it went dark.
I hit the deck. I tried to get up but my legs were like jelly. It was like I was punch drunk. But I had to finish. I made it to my feet and started to push my bike up the hill. But my legs gave way and I was on the floor again. A friendly bystander gave me support and helped me sit against the wooden barrier, leaning on my bike. 1500metres to go. I had to go on. Then the lights went out.
