Col du Tourmalet

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Rocky

Hello decadence
Have fun!! Either would be great (although a bit of a challenge for me on my Brompton).
 
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Shut Up Legs

Down Under Member
Have just booked a week in France to play on the Tourmelet. Was going to be the Stelvio. But I got out voted. Am riding with a load of whimps. :laugh:
That's a shame, Stelvio is an incredible climb, probably my favourite of all time. I did its west then east sides in 1 day in June 2017, it was exhausting but heaps of fun. I know my reply is very late, but I was having a nostalgia attack for the Alps. Did you enjoy the Tourmalet? I've ridden its west side 5 times and its east side once, and really enjoy that col.
 
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derrick

derrick

The Glue that binds us together.
That's a shame, Stelvio is an incredible climb, probably my favourite of all time. I did its west then east sides in 1 day in June 2017, it was exhausting but heaps of fun. I know my reply is very late, but I was having a nostalgia attack for the Alps. Did you enjoy the Tourmalet? I've ridden its west side 5 times and its east side once, and really enjoy that col.
We dont actually go until July, But we have a training camp in Calpe in February. A week in the Spanish mountains is always fun, August i am doing a support ride to Brussel, I can ride part of it if i fancy it, But i get paid to do that one, Three days of paid fun. Will probably do our annual ride to Bruges at some point in the year. I love my life.:okay:
 

ianbarton

Veteran
Have just booked a week in France to play on the Tourmelet. Was going to be the Stelvio. But I got out voted. Am riding with a load of whimps. :laugh:
Last year I cycled up it on Bkool, thinking it would be a good intro to Alpine passes. I went from thinking I was going to die, to wishing I was dead:smile: However, I did it without stopping and would love to cycle up it in real life! My heart rate was almost maxed out for the whole climb.
 
If you're going up from Luz St Saveur take the diversion off to the right after Bareges - the Voie Laurent Fignon - the original old road. A beautiful diversion which rejoins the current road about 4kms from the summit. This old road is closed to all traffic except cyclists, the road surface isn't perfect but not bad, all the old names painted on the road from the race are still there... faded. Well worth doing.
 

Shut Up Legs

Down Under Member
If you're going up from Luz St Saveur take the diversion off to the right after Bareges - the Voie Laurent Fignon - the original old road. A beautiful diversion which rejoins the current road about 4kms from the summit. This old road is closed to all traffic except cyclists, the road surface isn't perfect but not bad, all the old names painted on the road from the race are still there... faded. Well worth doing.
How can you tell if it's open for cyclists? The last time I rode up that way, there was a rope strung across the road not far past the "Voie Laurent Fignon" sign, so I turned left onto the main road at that point, because I wasn't sure if the road was fit for cycling.
 
How can you tell if it's open for cyclists? The last time I rode up that way, there was a rope strung across the road not far past the "Voie Laurent Fignon" sign, so I turned left onto the main road at that point, because I wasn't sure if the road was fit for cycling.
You just duck under the barrier.... trust me it's allowed. I was with a local. You'll see the Col Collection folks recommend it http://thecolcollective.com/col-collection/col/col-du-tourmalet
 
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