French Alpes 2004

Me and my brother  (Brian) had ditched smoking and general bad living, and replaced all that nasty stuff with the purchase of a Mountain Bike...this led to a passionate affair with 2 wheels...

The fitness grew and the weight plummeted...MTBing simply changed our lives completely...every week seen us embark on an adventure...Glentress Forest...Innerleithen...then onto more ambitious runs in the Mountains...Glen Tilt...Highland Way...Journeys to North Wales for the famous Coed-Y-Brenin....yip, I was completely hooked...the breathtaking beauty of our countryside coupled with a ‘unimaginable’ fitness level had been an addictive duo...even back then I knew my love for 2 wheels would only grow.

I used to sometimes see ‘Roadies’ on the roads whilst I was training...and I honestly thought “No way will I ever want to do that, Cars, Lorries, Roads - Horrible”...At that stage nothing could topple MTBing...Nothing!

So in July 2001 I was at work and one of my work colleagues said “Rich, are you watching the Tour De France tomorrow?”...I replied “No John, I’m a MTBer, I’m not really interested in that”...John said “It’s in the Mountains tomorrow bigman, and they finish on Alpe*******”....I had no idea what he had actually said as it just sounded like foreign stuff?....Anyhow, I was off work the next again day and as I was dilly dallying about the house I decided to change the channel over to the Tour De France to see what all the fuss was about...I did not know it at the time but this was another life changing moment....whether it was fate I do not know but at the precise moment I turned the channel over the Peleton was entering Bourg d’Oisans...I heard the frantic commentators getting crazy excited about the Mountain that lay ahead...

Now...I had heard through general media about a certain cyclist who had overcome cancer and came back to win the Tour De France...even back then a certain Lance Armstrong was making noise in the non-cycling fraternity...and this is rare...Cyclings pretty alien in the UK (and more so back then)...I’d only heard of one cyclist before...Robert Millar...and I only knew of him as he was Scottish?

So as the peleton passed through Bourg d’Oisans I decided to take a seat on my sofa and allow the drama to unfold...All I heard was “Armstrong”...”Ullrich”...”Alpe ******”...all I saw was wave after wave of multi coloured mad supporters...waving flags and jumping about like loonies...I was already smiling!

The peleton hit the foot of this unpronounceable mythical mountain and the speed at which they accelerated into it was truly staggering....I hadn’t seen anything like that in my life...and then it happened...this ‘Armstrong’ came to the front and then turned and looked at his main adversary (Ullrich) and then blasted away at a jaw dropping pace...I was stunned!....I could not believe the strength...I watched it solid for around 5 mins and thought “the top must be fairly soon, he cannot keep that pace up?”...and I can remember having to go and do something in the house and as I returned around 10 minutes later the fella was still hammering way up it...I was in shock!...it was brilliant...the excitement of the commentators...along with the feverent crowd...along with the beauty of the Alpes was magnetic...Armstrong finally crossed the finishing line with his jubilant punch in the air...and I punched the air aswell...and right there and then I said to the wife “I’m getting a racer and I’m going to cycle up that Alpe D’Huez” (I could now pronounce it).

A month later seen me with a Trek 1000...and my brother with a Specialized Allez...low end bikes but I had to see if I was going to like it...like it?...I LOVED it!...couldn’t believe the speed and how responsive it was...2 years down the road seen the Mountain bikes gathering dust...the road bikes had given access to greater strength and fitness...much longer runs...and more ambitious undertakings...culminating in 2003 with the ascent of the infamous Bealach Na Ba...we were now ready for something bigger!

We had agreed a trip to the French Alpes in May 2004...back then it wasn’t as straight forward as it is today...the cheap airlines only had limited routes and there wasn’t nearly as much UK cycling holiday companies out there...so I did the planning...our trip would run for a full week (22^nd-29^th May)...I had secured a small chalet in Allemont (just outside of Bourg d’Oisans)...we would fly from Edinburgh – London Standstead, then from there we would fly to St. Etiene...I would then drive from there to Allemont...I had researched the Area and found an utterly brilliant website:-

http://www.grenoblecycling.com/

This website alone provided 90% of the info I required...and the fella who runs it (Russell) couldn’t be anymore helpful...so what was on the intinery?...as I was completely naive to cycling in the High Mountains I had allsorts of aspirations...saying to Brian ”we could do this Marmotte route blah, blah, blah”...Brian would just look at me with those worrying eyes...his girl had only recently given birth to there first child and as a result he hadn’t had much time to train for such an adventure...but I suppose the true objectives of the trip were Alpe De Huez, Col du Galibier, Col de la Croix de Fer, Les Deux Alpes.

Here we go...2 high mountain ‘virgins’...an experience and a lesson awaits.

Travelling went as well as could be hoped...we arrived in Allemont and met up with the Chalet owner...after a brief tour of the chalet and its surroundings we bid him farewell...we both stood in that small garden and gazed up in sheer amazement at the surrounding mountains...it was incredible...more spectacular  than I had ever imagined...

                                      Our Chalet Village - Looking North

                                                                      Our Chalet is the downstairs apartment

                  What you see as you look West towards the N91

We built up our bikes in brilliant sunshine...By then I had upgraded to a better machine...an Orbea Vitesse...I had been advised with my local bike shop I wouldn’t need a triple (which was fitted to my Trek 1000)...a standard double would be ok...even for the Alpes...as they aren’t steep?...but I refused that option and ordered up a triple anyway...my thinking was “if I need a lower gear then at least I know I’ve got the small gear in reserve”...and believe me...on hindsight that was a very very wise move! ...Brian still had to make do with his trusty Specialized at the time...but he was also kitted out with a triple...thank goodness.

The travelling done...the bikes built...now the action...

Day 1  (Les Deux Alpes / La Berarde)

Today was our warm up... a run along the N91...through Bourg d’Oisans...and upto the Bge du Chambon (a big dammed lake)...where we would take a right and head upto the Ski Station at Les Deux Alpes (where Marco Pantani ripped the yellow jersey from Ullrich in 1998)...after this we would retrace our steps for a spell before taking a trundle onto a mountain hikers retreat at La Berarde (Russell from Grenoblecycling had recommended this)...

Up early and a good dose of porridge consumed...on the bikes for around 9am...onto the fairly busy N91 and headed off for Bourg d’Oisans...it was still fairly cold and another layer was required...after around 15 minutes on the straightest road I’ve ever cycled we approached the small famous town...off to the left I picked out the initial hairpins of the famous Alpe d’Huez...I turned to Brian and said “No problem Brian, that doesn’t look bad at all”...Mmmm...again these are the words of a Big climb virgin!....off through Bourg d’Oisans and continuing on the N91...the sun was breaking out and the road was starting to tip upwards...we were heading up a huge ravine...with massive cliff drop-offs to the left...the place was absolutely stunning...everything and more of what I wanted...the road then really kicked and we seen a 10% gradient sign...this reduced us to our lowest gear on our Middle Chainrings (42 x 27)...and it was bloody sore!...and if this is just a gentle climb then what are the others like?...upwards we sauntered...passing through a few tunnels and small villages as we did so...(and it wasn’t all uphill, there was a few descents thrown in as well)...after a fairly demanding stretch of road we topped out at the Bge du Chambon...it was low level when we were there and if being truthful it was pretty ugly...like a big open quarry?...anyhow we were taking the immediate right and heading upto Les Deux Alpes....

This climbs like a mini and ‘less severe’ Alpe d’Huez...near 10 Kms at a 6.2% average...just over 600 meters ascent...and like it’s big brother it’s jam packed with hairpins all the way up...a good choice for our warm up day!

We immediately hit the climb...I just said to Brian “We will just take it nice and easy, and see how we are”...so up we ventured...all was going well...we were both reduced to our 42 x 27 again but the gradient was very manageable...alike Alpe d’Huez there’s numbers on every hairpin which count you down to the top...we were both in fine fettle...easing our way upwards...at times the climb was biting but I was well within my limits and felt no need to drop down to the granny gear...after around 6 Kms we entered a small village...every building had a rust covered corrugated iron roof...and it was fairly dismal looking...the gradient relaxed here and Brian really up’d the pace...I said to him “Brian, slow down, I think it kicks again”...as expected the road hurtled upwards...never too steep but enough to halt any impulsive accelerations...a few Kms later seen us enter the Ski Station...we stopped at the outskirts and gathered our wits...it had been a very well graded climb...never too demanding (maybe a standard Double chainset would suffice out here afterall  was our thinking?)...the climb was a series of lovely tight bends and hairpins...always interesting and capturing the imagination...the scenery was little to talk about...pretty much wooded all the way up with very little scope of glimpsing the glorious surroundings...the views at the top would have been tremendous but when we were there it had thick dense ‘morning mist’ in all directions...however we knew that some serious mountains lurked in that fog as we could just make out the peaks of the biggest monsters in the area...

                                          Brian at Les Deux Alpes (with only the highest peaks prevailing)

We consumed an Energy bar here along with one of them horrid SIS gels...then we made our way down...what a great descent...I’d only ever descended a big climb twice before...Bealach Na Ba and Lowther Hill...so this was a treat...and still pretty new to me...after around 15 mins solid descending we were back at the Bge du Chambon...we were elated at our form and the accomplishment thus far...now we would head back down the N91 and head onto La Berarde...and that was just a nice trundle to finish off our first day wasn’t it?.

Another 20 mins seen us at the junction with the road (D 530) upto La Berarde...was looking forward to this as I’d been informed this is one of the loveliest runs in the Alpes...off we went...the road meandered its way up a huge valley...and off to the right a gorgeous glacier blue river lay parallel...lovely!...the road seemed flat...but my legs were feeling strain and as a result I had to shift to lower gears...Brian was feeling it also and we couldn’t understand it as it looked like we were on the flat...if anything it looked like we were riding slightly downhill?...but a quick look over to the river suggested the opposite...it was flowing fairly rapid against us...we were definitely going uphill!...strange optical illusion...

A few Kms in and it was getting tough...very tough...the legs were hurting alright...by now we were cycling through some wonderful cliff overhangs....and also dangerous looking one sided natural tunnels...absolute gorgeous....the valley was much tighter now and the river was still accompanying every pedal stroke...Brian said “I thought this was supposed to be flat Richard?, it feels like we have been climbing for miles”...I agreed...it had already been tougher than Les Deux Alpes?....we continued on and the road really kicked...to add to the suffering the sun was now out in all its glory and the valley was scorching...I was still trying to see it out in my 42 chainring when Brian said “F*ck this, I’m going into the granny gear”...I managed to grind out the 42 ring for a further  500 meters or so before it become too much for me also...into the 30 x 24...and what a bloody relief!...so happy I opted for the triple!...this made all the difference in the world...we both steadily made our way up this steep section and as we passed a sign facing the opposite direction I looked back...if my memory serves me right then it indicated a 12% gradient...no wonder it had been tough!...the road relaxed again after that and a good respite was experienced but Brian informed me he wasn’t feeling too good...this was fairly worrying as although I thought the whole road was fairly flattish I did know that at a place called St Christophe the road kicks violently upwards in a series of tight steep hairpins...and with Brian already suffering it could prove deadly?...onwards we ploughed....a Km or so later the road in front disappeared... I looked up to the left and saw the hairpins with a village perched way up at the top...St Christophe...and it looked miles up...I looked at Brian and said “here’s the steep hairpins I told you about”...his reply “Oh For F*ck sake”...

              The Steep Hairpin section leading to St Christophe

Onto the hairpins...these were around 15%...and proved very sore in this sweltering heat ...Brian was reduced to his lowest gear here (30 x 27) and I managed up on my 30 x 24...and as we finally entered St Christophe Brian said “I can’t do another section like that today Richard”...but I quickly reassured him that the worst was now over and done with (which was true)...we made our way through the small village and continued up the valley...and from here to the actual settlement at La Berarde has to be one of the most outstanding roads in the world...the scenery was eye popping...Jeez...even now, 6 years on I can still remember how awe struck we both were...In my experience only a few places equal this place for startling beauty :- the Cirque Di Litor in the Pyrenees (road between the Col Soulor and Aubisque), La Masca in Tenerife, Sella Ring in the Dolomites...and only one supersedes it...the one and only Passo Gavia....and considering how many beautiful places I’ve experienced since this trip it should hopefully convey how beautiful it really is?

The road hugged the left hand shoulder of a huge steep valley and stretched for miles...with incredible views off to the right...the gradient was kinder here and we steadily made good progress...small tunnels were  experienced on this stretch of road but none were too scary and just added to the experience...we were now completely out of water and as it was so hot we urgently needed replenishment...I reckoned La Berarde was only around 2 Kms off from here...I better be right!...the long road which clung onto the valley wall came to an end and we descended into a more wooded area... it was more enclosed here and a welcome relief from the blazing sun...the road quickly resumed its uphill quest and Brian was in trouble now...his legs and body were all sore and he looked so tired...I encouraged him on as best as I could but the damage was done...Brian simply needed to rest and recuperate...after a long Km or so we finally reached some dwellings...surely this has to be La Berarde?...as we entered our hopes were realized...La Berarde!...thank Christ!....

We made our way to what looked like the ‘only’ restaurant in the place and thankfully it was open...excellent!...we sat down at one of the outdoor tables and ordered up some Spaghetti Bolognese along with a few Colas and Water...how good was it to gurgle away on that cold fizzy juice?...the Spaghetti was also massive and delicious...and after a hefty consumption we were fully re-invigorated...our spirits were high and cycling became ‘great’ again...we both spoke of the road up here...Brian said “That was way tougher than Les Deux Alpes Richard, how much climbing did we do there?”...I replied “ I dunno Brian, I thought it was going to be a flattish road in, I’ve no idea how much climbing, but at a guess?, lots!”

                                Me at the La Berarde Restaurant

As it turns out La Berarde sits around 1570 meters...and we started at around 700meters...so by no means a stroll!

Looking around up there its no surprise that La Berarde is a mountain climber/hikers dream...the place is basically a huge cove and in all directions apart from the road we came up it has a barricade of monster peaks in excess of 3400meters...no way out apart from up and over...Beautiful but I’ll stick with the cycling I think!

After a suitable rest we got ready for our run back down...was really looking forward to this...as I said its one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever experienced so more of it in the opposite direction could only be good...especially going downhill!...on the way down a few mandatory stops for photos were adhered too...

                                                Brian at La Berarde - looking back down the valley

     Further down the Valley - Brian with gorgeous background behind him

But in the end we had a brilliant gobsmacking downhill plunge all the way back to the N91...where we hung a left and headed back through Bourg d’Oisans...as we went passed Alpe d’Huez I said “tomorrow matey”...we then made our way back along the dead arrow straight road to our base at Allemont...Day 1 completed...

Summary - very tough....Glad I had my triple...Les Deux Alpes was somewhat of a let down with regards to scenery and atmosphere....La Berarde made up for it in bucket loads...what a outrageously beautiful experience....onto Day 2...a cycling legend awaits.

DAY 2 – The Legendary Alpe D’Huez!

Today was as basic a day as you could ever imagine...go along a road...go up a climb...then come back down...and that was it!...no more...no less...why come all the way out to the Alpes to do just that?...Alpe d’Huez...that’s why!

This was my dream since 2001...and since then I had learned so much about the Tour de France and the history of this mythical climb...even in its first inclusion it had secured its place in the annuls of the race...the winner who destroyed all his opponents none other than the man himself...Coppi...and since then  it has appeared so many times in the TDF and altered the race on so many occasions...it has created so much excitement/drama over the years...and it’s in an ideal location for a finishing climb on a TDF mountain stage...you can reach it by many different ways...Galibier,Lauteret, Glandon, Col de la Croix de Fer, Ornon etc....as a climb on its own there’s many climbs much tougher and more beautiful...but its down to the sheer history of the climb that sets it apart...along with the Tourmalet, Galibier and Ventoux this is cyclings holy land....and I’m doing my pilgrimage!

Up a bit later this day...another good helping of porridge realised....out on the bike...the legs were still a bit shaky from yesterday...again we hopped on the N91 and made our way for destiny...we were approaching the small famous town again...like yesterday I looked over and picked out the first few hairpins of the Alpe d’Huez...my heart was thumping...they looked steeper today!...Brian wasn’t saying too much here...off through Bourg d’Oisans...

                                                  Looking up at Alpe d'Huez from Bourg d'Oisans

but just at the south end of the town we take a left...and here we are...at the foot of the great beast....lets see what all the fuss is about?

A few hundred meters up this road we noticed the german Telecom team bus!...it had cracking drawings of Ullrich, Vino & Zabel on the side...afterall it was 2004...in 2 months time this climb was going to be used as a TT in the TDF!...could we see some legends today?

We were riding towards a huge cliff side and didn’t even know if we had taken the proper turn off?....the road kicked up and the gears kicked down...42 x 24...42 x 27...Brian said “Is this the climb Richard?”...”I think so Brian”...the road continued upwards getting steeper with every pedal stroke...wasn’t long before the small granny gear was put into action...I was in the 30 x 21...I thought “ Yeah, I’ll get up ok on this gear”...the road swerved off right and steepened bigtime...I must say this gradient really shocked me...I had no alternative but to drop into my 2^nd lowest gear...30 x 24...but believe me this was still a huge effort...I slowed up a tad and adopted a ‘more respectful’ approach...Brian was just behind me and he was shouting “This is steep as hell Richard”...I heartily agreed!...anyhow any fears that we were on the wrong road were put to rest as we came to the first tight hairpin...no 21...only 20 to go...gulp!....the road remained so steep....it really was tough going...at times I swithered on dropping to my lowest gear...30 x 27...but I just took it nice and steady and remained on the 30 x 24...upto corner 20....still remained very steep....upto 19...still the same...I was thinking this is going to be a horror if it remains like this until the top?...corner  18...the same horrible relentless gradient remained...and I had now got into a habit of having a gulp of Energy drink at every hairpin...Brian was still just behind me but he was feeling it big time as well...I could hear his breathing!....up ahead I saw that the right hand side of the road was barriered off for roadworks...and traffic lights were in use...the traffic lights were at Red as I approached and a few cars were waiting...no bloody way am I going to stop on this climb...no way!...as I passed by the waiting cars I heard Brian shout “Richard, you’ll have to stop, you can’t go through a red light”...I shouted back “Aye right!, just watch me, I’m not stopping”...and I just pressed on upwards on the left hand side of the road...as it turned out no cars were coming down and the road works were not long...and I  resumed my steep Journey on the correct side of the road...I looked back and Brian had just followed me through the red lights...we are bad boys aren’t we?...Another Km up the road we entered the small hamlet of La Garde...with the famous old church off to the left (encampment of the Dutch)...and this is where the gradient relaxes...it relents to around 8%...and after a solid 3 or 4 Kms at 10-11% it feels all so straight forward?...my fears began to dwindle and I actually started to really enjoy it all...I was getting excited at every hairpin...reading the names of all the greats at each hairpin sign...Brian was further behind now but I could still shout down to him as I was literally just above him due to the crazy tight hairpins...

                     The 'stepping stones' of Alpe d'Huez

It was around here when this other fella came passed...he seemed German and said “we’re nearly at the top”...well that gave me encouragement!....I was thinking “I thought it would be longer?”...anyhow another 15 mins of around 8% passed by and the summit was still nowhere in sight...’Nearly at the top’...my ar*e!...I was still very respectful but I wasn’t in any real difficulty now...I knew I would crack it...it was just going to take time...I was now into single figure numbered hairpins and the views back down to Bourg d’Oisans and over to the opposite side of the valley were tremendous...

                                               Looking down to Bourg d'Oisans from half way up Alpe d'Huez

Brian was around a ½ Km behind me by this time but seemed in fine fettle...I just pushed on and I was enjoying the climb more with every meter covered...at about hairpin 7 you pass through the small village of Huez....and from here you enter a more barren and open mountain landscape...and its not long after this you get your first glimpse of the Ski Station...it’s still a long way off but the backs been broken on the climb and its just a case of remaining sensible and not pushing too hard...the hairpins continued to count down and I remembered reading about Hairpin 3...this is where a good few people get it wrong as the road forks...both take you to the Ski Station but the left turn off is the proper TDF way...I went left...the views down to the valley were sensational...

       Out in the open on Alpe d'Huez - the small village you see is Huez

                                                                  Another smashing photo of Huez from above

As I went around Hairpin 2 I shouted down to Brian “cracked it Bro”...but the climbs still got a final wee nasty sting in the tail...it really kicks up for the last Km into the Ski Station itself...this was fairly painful but euphoria and elation easily countered this and at last I entered the fabled resort of Alpe d’Huez...as the road flattened off I continued until I came to a junction...either straight up towards a big monument or a left under a ‘bridge type thing’...I decided to wait there on Brian...a few mins later I saw Brian head up...he was well chuffed to see me...and we shook each others hand...A legend in the bag!

We were both elated by our success...this was our first REAL alpine climb...and how relieved were we to have our triples...absolutely no way on earth would we have got up that on a 39 front ring...no way!

The guy who had passed me on the way up came down and stopped...I said to him jokingly “Hey sir, what was that rubbish you said to me down there?,  you said we were nearly at the top, we still had miles to go!”...he laughed and replied “Yes, I got it wrong”...he turned out to be Dutch and a dead nice fella to boot...we had a good laugh and being honest I reckon these reserved continental lads enjoy a bit of madcap Scottish humour...they seem mesmerised by our antics and banter?...I asked him what he thought of the climb...he said it was tough but not in the same world as Mont Ventoux (where he had to stop as he was going to collapse)...Mmmm...Ventoux must be really tough was my thinking (I’ll tell you about that mountain experience in due time)...anyhow we got our certificates for climbing the Alpe and got a few photos to mark the occasion...

          Brian at Alpe d'Huez with jaw dropping snow-capped background

                                                                      Me dilly-dallying about at Alpe d'Huez

As we were posing for photo’s we saw a group of cyclists coming down...they were all decked out in the Telecom outfit...as they approached us, we both realized it was the Pro Team..who was it?...Christ almighty it was Ullrich, Zabel and a few others!...Excellanto!...and as they passed they all said “hello” and smiled...now that’s what I call decent fellas!...none of them were elitist and all were so friendly...and I thought to myself “if the top pro guys can be so friendly then why do I see so much pretentious wannabes in the UK who wouldn’t give you a nod in the desert?”...

Anyhow after our photo shoot we prepared for one almighty descent...off we went...it was bloody freezing to start off with but a few Kms down the road things became milder again...I was hurtling down and got too carried away and confident with my descending skills and I nearly paid a dear price...I came around a tight hairpin far too fast and ended up on the opposite side of the road...and a big van was coming up at the time...I just managed (and I mean JUST) to veer back in before careering through its bloody windscreen! What a big numpty...could have killed myself...that experience refocused me I tell you!...not long after I heard Brian shout something out...I stopped to see what was wrong and Brian informed me that he could smell his brake blokes burning...he felt his rims and they were scalding hot...whereas mines were not bad at all?...I suppose its because I had better wheels...Ksyriums...Brian had the Tiagra shimano wheels the bike had came with...so we agreed a plan....we would stop every 3 or 4 Kms and allow his wheels to cool down...this turned out to be in our favour...

We had descended about half way when we saw the Telecom guys coming back up...Ullrich & Co were just cruising up having a nice chatter...Christ they could have been going to the shops such was the ease of it all?...but just around 4 Kms from Bourg d’Oisans on our last planned stop we witnessed something I’m never going to forget as long as I live....as we perched at one hairpin we heard a crunching of gears and a sense of great speed and power approaching...and up around the corner came a flying Vinokourov in full flight...training for the Time Trial...My god!...the speed he came up that steep road was remarkable...sorry, more like unbeleivable...I’ve never seen anything like that before or since...the power was monstrous...by the time we got our cameras out he was completely gone!

I turned to Brian and said “Can you believe Armstong & Ullrich will hammer him this July, what kind of power have they guys got at full effort?”...Brian just shook his head in disbelief...you simply have to see these guys in action to fully appreciate the ability!...We continued downhill and entered into the town where we found a small place to sit and have a cola and a bite to eat...the days work over...success on the Alpe!

Summary – Much steeper than I had perceived...the first 3 or 4 Kms are extremely steep and relentless...you do get breaks at each left turning hairpin but its a fairly savage and unrelenting experience all the way up...put it this way...If I had just ridden the Cols Madeleine,Glandon,Galibier etc then I reckon this climb could buckle the legs...and in the infamous sportive ‘La Marmotte’ you tackle this after the Col du Glandon, Col du Telegraphe and Col du Galibier...good luck!...I’ve heard and read of so many guys saying “the Alpe’s easy”...but its anything but easy...lets be honest...13.5 kms at 8.5% average ain’t ever going to be easy is it?...I’m very honest and I do not brag...I’m not a good climber at all but I do know one thing...Alpe d’Huez is a very tough climb!

GOTO PART 2 (DAYS 3 , 4 & 5)