TheBikeTrip

France 2011 Alps and Pyrenees

  • A wet Lourdes and an idiots guide to the TDF

    • 28 Jun 2011
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    Well it took me the best part of 14 hours to make the journey from the Alps to the Pyrenees. If you look at a map of France it looks like a fairly simple journey from Le Bourg D'Oisans in the South East corner across to Lourdes in the South West corner. Unfortunately the speedy bullet trains don't operate this route, so I caught a 1 train to Paris, survived the underground Metro and then another train to Lourdes.

    The bullet trains are exactly that. The speed these trains generate is quite something to feel and see. Its only when you see the train running alongside a freeway where the cars you are passing look like they are dawdling. Anyhow I got in around 9 pm and it was still 30 degrees and there crowds of people everywhere. I decided that shower, eat and bed were my best options.

    This morning the weather did a complete back flip, and it was cold, drizzling and only 12 degrees ( my tan was going to suffer today big time). I decided to avoid the Tourist stuff today and just get on the bike work the legs. I kitted up with all my wet weather gear and did a 60 KM loop north to a town called Tarbes. No hills to speak of and just a good opportunity to blow the cobwebs out.

    So as I have limited photos today and will reserve another day for the Lourdes immersion experience I thought I would give you the Idiots Guide to the TDF. When the Tour starts in 3 days time, then you will become the "local expert" in your office/home/ pub etc. Feel free to quote from this article........people will only be impressed with your learned and informed mind.

    Okey Dokey let's get this thing started shall we? The Tour started back in 1903 by Henri Desgrange who wanted to promote his newspaper, and he thought that by sponsoring a bike race around France would be a good way to do it. This year will be the 98th edition, with some years lost to both the World Wars.

    The original event proved a hit, and soon other countries wanted in and started sending their cycling best across to tackle the Grande Boucle (The Big Circle) as it was known. To create further interest to the event, other contests within the race were added to the race such as the best Sprinter (green jersey), best Climber (white jersey with red polka dots) and the White jersey (not because the French like white flags!!) but for the best rider under 25 years of age. There is also a Teams Category for best team with the lowest cumulative time for their 3 fastest guys on each stage. The winner of course wears the yellow jersey (malliot jaune) for having the quickest time around the 3,430 KM course. The leading time category is also commonly referred to GC (general classification).

    So this year there are 22 teams with 9 riders on each team. They race over 21 stages with a couple of rest days thrown in after stages 9 and 20. Two of the stages are Time Trials (known as the race of truth). There is a Team time trial on stage 2 and an individual stage on stage 20 which normally settles a few places in the top 10 just before the finish.

    For the majority of teams they will not have a rider capable of winning any of the above categories. In reality only 4 - 5 people are really in contention for the respective jerseys, so it begs the question why are they there?

    To get invited to ride the Tour is a massive honor, and the various sponsors of these teams want to get maximum exposure of their jersey when it is being beamed into millions of households around the world. So what the team managers (Director Sportif) do is select certain stages for 1 or 2 of their guys to get into a breakaway first, and hopefully if they are good enough hang on and win the stage. The cameras are on these guys for a long time, so the sponsors are getting good value for their Euros. Some of these teams cost about 8 - 12 million Euros (12 - 17 Aussie) a year to sponsor a team of about 25 contracted riders.

    So within each team you have TimeTrial specialists, sprinters, GC and climbers. If you are neither of those, then you are generally known as a "Domestique". Loosely translated it means that you will do all the dirty work for your team leader to give him every chance of winning the category he is trying to win. It might mean carrying 12 water bottles (bidons) up to team mates at the front of the race, handing your bike over to your leader if he has a mechanical (eg, flat tire) or just riding in front of your leader for 2 hours so that he can benefit from staying out of the wind and conserving much needed energy for the end of the race. They say that this can as much as 30% easier for the guy behind.

    So this year my predictions are the following. Alberto Contador (drug appeal pending) to win again from Andy Schleck. I think Cadel Evans will finish around 5 to 7th............I hope higher as he has good form, but he is 34 and his last 2 tours have been not good due to injury.

    Green jersey will be Mark Cavendish, Teams will be Trek Leopard, a Froggy like Charteau will win the Climbing gong and I have no idea on the white jersey.

    The excitement is building here, I trust you all have your couches ready and prepared for the 3 weeks starting this Saturday when Phil Liggett and Paul Sherwin entertain us each night.

    That's it for tonight for as I am off to have my first ever "Cassolet" a local French delicacy (a stew with beans and other goodies) I shall report on that tomorrow.

    Regards,

    Cycling Foodie

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  • Last day in Le Bourg D'Oisans

    • 27 Jun 2011
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    Well today was my last day in the French Alps, and I really took it easy as the affects of the past few days were taking their toll and the energy levels were down a little.

    I wandered down to the local Church and went to the morning mass. I think "Amen" was about the only word I recognized, and my attendance lowered the average age there by about 10 years.

    I called into the photo shop to collect some pictures that a local photographer takes as you near the peak of the Alpe D'Huez and the Col du Galibier. I have snapped these from my iPhone so hopefully they provide some perspective of the slope and effort being exerted. It's quite funny as you round the 2nd last bend and you have this crazy French photographer snapping away and saying "Bonjour, Bonjour" while passing you a photo ticket that I someone manage to stuff into my back pocket.

    Today I rode the local Mountain called Col D'Ornon. It's a short little 12 KM summit that took a little over an hour to climb, and about 15 mins to descend. Plans to have a 2nd crack on Duez were shelved as the Temp hit the 30's and my petrol tank was empty. I am just finishing packing all my gear back into my bags, as tomorrow I catch 1 bus and 2 trains on a cross country from here to Grenoble to Paris and then to the little town of Lourdes in the Pyrenees. It will be a 13 hour day, so I have a good book to pass the time as I ride the Bullet Train.

    Culinary highlight today was a Chocolate Crepe smothered in Chantilly cream. Very French and very rich.

    Till Lourdes from the Cycling Foodie.

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  • Last day in Le Bourg D'Oisans

    • 26 Jun 2011
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    Well today was my last day in the French Alps, and I really took it easy as the effects of the past few days were taking their toll and the energy levels were down a little.

    I wandered down to the local Church and went to the morning mass. I think "Amen" was about the only word I recognized, and my attendance lowered the average age there by about 10 years.

    I called into the photo shop to collect some pictures that a local photographer takes as you near the peak of the Alpe D'Huez and the Col du Galibier. I have snapped these from my iPhone so hopefully they provide some perspective of the slope and effort being exerted. It's quite funny as you round the 2nd last bend and you have this crazy French photographer snapping away and saying "Bonjour, Bonjour" while passing you a photo ticket that I somehow manage to stuff into my back pocket.

    Today I rode the local Mountain called Col D'Ornon. It's a short little 12 KM summit that took a little over an hour to climb, and about 15 mins to descend. Plans to have a 2nd crack on Duez were shelved as the temp hit the 30's and my petrol tank was empty. I am just finishing packing all my gear back into my bags, as tomorrow I catch 1 bus and 2 trains on a cross country from here to Grenoble to Paris and then to the little town of Lourdes in the Pyrenees. It will be a 13 hour day, so I have a good book to pass the time as I ride the Bullet Train.

    Culinary highlight today was a Chocolate Crepe smothered in Chantilly cream. Very French and very rich.

    Till Lourdes from the Cycling Foodie.

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  • Col du Galibier, Blueberry Tart and I have found what I am looking for.

    • 25 Jun 2011
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    After yesterday I thought it would be hard to top the cycling experience I had cresting Alpe d'Huez. Well I think I can confidently say that today was cycling nirvana on EPO.

    I started the day slowly as my legs were quite sore from yesterday's effort. For those of you who have played contact sport, I can only describe the pain like 2 decent corked thighs that is the result of too much lactic acid being built up in my muscles from a little more climbing than I would normally do. There are a few ways to remedy this such as hot/cold treatment, massage, stretching and the Chemist option (Nurofen Plus) works a treat.

    Every Saturday in Le Bourg D'Oisans is market day. They literally block every alley way and there are around 100 stalls selling everything from farm fresh produce, a million cheeses (my wife's heaven), clothing and the usual tourist nick knacks. The photos should give you an idea of the "Le buzz" it generates. I browsed, sampled and ate my way through the retail maze. Now I was ready to cycle.

    In the opening line of U2's "I still haven't found what I'm looking for", Bono sings about "I have climbed the highest mountain.....". Well I'm not sure what mountain the Irish lads were referencing, but today I cycled (and climbed) my highest mountain. it is known as the Col du Galibier and it is a colossus by anyone's standards.

    Let's me share a few facts about the mountain that has featured in the TDF since 1911 when the race organizer (Henri Desgrange) thought it would be good to throw in a few little hills to spice up the race. He must have been a real "Le Prick" because the racers back then would have been using single speed bikes weighing about 2.5 heavier than what they use today. These guys were the real heroes of the sport, and the road back then was probably not much better than goat track. Is it any winder the French created the "derailleur" gearing to tackle future climbs?

    Anyhow each mountain used in the TDF each year is graded by a difficulty scale that goes from 1 - 4. The scale is determined by the length and the % grade of the hill. eg, a small 3 KM hill with a 4% grade would be a 4. The longer the hill and the steeper the grade it goes up to a 1. Now here is where it gets interesting, some of the hills are known as HC (hors categorie).......in my best French this means it can't be rated as it is outside the 1 - 4 scale. In other words if you are facing a ride with a HC summit, then your in for a tough day at the office. Col du Galibier is a HC ride. In this years TDF they ride it twice over 2 days. Once from the side I did today (apparently the easier route), and then for good measure the next day where it will be paired with another HC summit.

    So today it took me a little over 5 hours to ride the 96 KM Route. The summit is 2,646 metres high, and the actual climb part is just shy of 43 KM.........you could call that a tough day at the office. Hopefully the pictures capture sone of the amazing scenery along the way.

    A final footnote is that while riding up the hill I called into this little town Les Freaux for a quick break and a drink. While initially there just for an ice cold Coke, my pasty detector quickly zoned in on this Blueberry Tart that must have been created by the Rhone Alp pastry Gods. Naturally I ordered a wedge the size if my hand, and thus was as good as it gets. A short crust pastry holding aloft a beautiful plump set of glistening blueberries (must be the mountain water and air) with a perfect balance of sweetness to reign in the tartness of the little fruit. If there is a better Blueberry Tart out there you know of, then point me in the direction and I'll start cycling tomorrow.

    Till next time.

    Cycling Foodie

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  • Alpe d'Huez, Solitary Man and St Christophe

    • 24 Jun 2011
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    About 10 years ago I was up late watching the TDF on SBS TV. I remember this particular stage late in the race where the leaders were racing up this last monster hill. All the big guns were there dueling it out after already being on the saddle for over 5 hours. History tells us that Lance Armstrong won the stage that day, and then 2 days later his 3rd TDF title out of 7 he was to win. That day a little seed was planted in this author's mind........"I have to go there one day and cycle up that hill".

    Well today my friends (only 1 decade on) got to live out my cycling fantasy. The Alpe D'Huez summit is the most famous in the TDF. There has been so much written about this little 13.8 KM climb into cycling folklore over the years. Only recently in 2008 our Aussie Cadel Evans lost the Tour that year when a rampant Spaniard called Carlos Sastre took the bull by the horns and got enough of a lead to win the title 2 days later by a mere 22 seconds.

    So here are a few facts about this climb. Although only a short distance of 13.8 KM it rises a staggering 1100 meters over a road that has 21 switch backs. Each bend has a plaque erected for all the previous Stage winners going back to the 1950's.

    The ride requires one to dose (as opposed to dope) ones efforts so that you do not blow up in the first 2 KM's. I just sat on an easy gear and tried to keep my heart beat no higher than 160. After getting through the hard stuff I settled into a rhythm and in an almost hypnotic state started peeling the bends off 1 by 1. Some 80 minutes later I hit the top. The time is approximately double what the Pros get up the hill, but I played it safe and achieved my goal of not stopping. In a few days I will have a crack at going a little quicker. The descent is a beauty which hopefully the photos do justice in showing the pitch of the road.

    I celebrated the ride with a well needed massage (thanks to the magical hands of a local masseuse) who only spoke 3 words of English "50 Euros Please".

    After that I hit the food shops for my daily pastry (twirly snail thing), Brie Cheese, Jamon (ham) and a crusty baguette.

    With daylight till 9 30 PM, I snuck in a little 44 KM ride to a quaint little village called St Christophe up another majestic valley. Although only a small ride it had a bit of everything. The road snaked along the customary blue river for a few KMs, and then it rose up through a canopy of trees while the afternoon sun played an interesting game of "Peek-a-Boo" with me.

    Before long I was confronted with some very steep sections where the road slope was hitting 14% (ouch!!). Eventually I arrived in St Christophe and had a well earned Coke at the local Bar. The owner tried very hard to get me to buy her Strawberry pie..........maybe a other day love as I told here I would blow my PPD (pasty per day) allowance. That's diet imposed, not budgetary I should add.

    I then scooted down the hill and now I am back about to jump into a hot bath.

    Tomorrow or Sunday I will be tackling the "Big Kahuna" known as Le Galibier.

    A final note to thank you all for your wonderful support and comments to date. It is greatly appreciated.

    Regards,

    Cycling Foodie

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  • Le Col de la Croix de fer and Vanilla Slice heaven

    • 23 Jun 2011
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    Well today I awoke to the gentle pitter patter of rain and plans for a ride were put aside. I managed to have a sleep in, write some postcards (a dying business in this modern world) and as luck would have it find an amazing Vanilla Slice at bakery number 3. That little indulgence would be easily burnt up in a matter of minutes later this afternoon for the climb that lay ahead ahead.

    In a previous post I have made mention of the Champion Italian Cathedral and Stained Glass builders. Well the French must dominate Hydro Electricity plants and the most Turquoise colored dams. Pretty much every valley road you head down there is a river, which is fed by a creek, which if fed by a waterfall, which is fed by a massive series of glaciers on top of some big hills. So it makes sense to build these dams and to use the flow of the water to convert to electricity.

    Anyhow the rain cleared around 1 PM and I headed of on a 80 KM jaunt to the hill with the Iron Cross on top of it. In French it's called (and it's a mouthful) Le Col de la Croix de fer. The ride cuts up through this valley which was shrouded in thick clouds that were almost sticking to the trees. There is a river and 2 amazing dams with the Turquoise colors as my right hand companions on the 2.5 hour ascent. The first section of 7 KMs was brutal and made me wonder why some someone would drag an Iron Cross up to a 2067 metre summit. It eventually returned to a respectful 6% slope, and I had the company of a 61 year old Dutchman for the last 10 KM. He was telling me stories about the great Australian cyclist Phil "Skippy" Anderson who came over and forged a great professional career during the 80's and 90's in Europe (a hero of mine).

    Anyhow after 1600 meters the trees disappear and the temp dropped to a chilly 8 degrees. It feels even colder as the sweat on your Lycra rapidly cools. Anyhow after a few pics I donned my wind jacket and went screaming back down the 23 KM descent.

    Of special note for me today was that my cycle top I wore today was something I had bought back in the late 80's when I was first in Europe. While I stretch the material a little more than when I was a svelte 22 year old, I don't think back then I would have had the motor (nor mental power) to summit this baby today. "Age shall not weary them"!!

    On a final note to some of you cycle nutters out there. My bike is equipped with a triple crank (affectionately known as a Granny gear) that allows me to pedal a little easier up some of the steeper sections. It must be Beer O'Clock so I am out of here.

    Cycling Foodie

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  • Cycling downhill

    • 23 Jun 2011
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  • Credence, The Doors and Les Deux Alpes

    • 22 Jun 2011
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    Today I woke up to very low hanging clouds over the village after some rain overnight. I decided to do a tour of the village while the roads dried out under a peeking sun.

    It's not a big village, just lots of little alleys and cross streets with the main highway going through town like the equivalent of a Main Street in country Australia. There are lots of bike and sports shops offering you everything you need from biking to skiing to bush walking. There are the usual cafes and bars, and at least 2 bakeries so far I have sampled their fare. Pear and custard tart today was "Ooh La La" (not sure if that is a French expression BTW).

    In case you get the impression I am eating my way through France, I also knocked off another 2 rides today covering 92 km's. In the AM I cycled to a pretty famous Ski Resort called Les Deux Alpes. Thats a fancy way of saying "2 Mountains". It's the playground of the Rich and Famous, and for 30 mins........Me!!!!

    Breath taking views riding up through the valley to the Chambon Dam and then a nice little 9 KM to the Ski resort. Heading back down was pretty cool as I hit 70 kmh on the speedo. Part of the return course will also be used in this years TDF and I saw one of the teams training. They were going a tad faster than me..........but only because I have not yet got over my jet lag.

    In the late arvo I headed out to a small alpine village called Vaujany. I was expecting a nice easy ride along the valley which I got until having to climb a 7 km hill to the little Ski village. The views from the top were worth it.

    So I am now about to head off for some dinner and to try some of the local plonk. I might warm up with a Beaujolais, meander to a Chardonnay and then ease into a full bodied Burgundy. They might have to carry me home. Till tomorrow from the Cycling Foodie.

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  • Villard Notre Dame

    • 22 Jun 2011
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    Today I tested the legs with 2 climbs from my base in Le Bourg D'Osians.

    In the AM I did a climb to a cute village called Villard Reymomd. 32 KM to blow the cobwebs out.

    Just now I am at the top of climb number 2 Villard Notre Dame. Very hard ride with heart beat notching 170 and the grade pitching over 10% in sections. At least I get to roll down these babies at speed.

    Here are pics of the tunnels and views which are breath taking. Beer please!!!!

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  • Milan to Le Bourg D'Osians

    • 21 Jun 2011
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    12 hours spent on 2 trains and 2 buses got me from Milan to Le Bourg D'Osians today. While I would entertain quicker transport options in the future, trips like this give you the opportunity to sit back, relax, read a book and take in the amazing scenery on offer.

    The train from Milan headed pretty much due West punching it's way through green fertile farming land before hitting the mountains. The train snaked along a valley as the land either side got taller. I had a nice loyal flowing river with me as a companion.

    I arrived in Chambery Challes and then caught a bus from there to a little village called La Tour Du Pin. With a local drunk providing some afternoon entertainment, it was then another train to Grenoble. Grenoble was the Home town of Andre the Giant for those Wrestling fans out there.

    From there it was a twisting and turning bus drive to my home for the next week. My unit is super nice and only a decent 3 wood from the centre of town. I unpacked and assembled my girlfriend (also know as my Trek Madone), grabbed a dinner and tomorrow I go to bag my first Col. More on that later.

    Au Revoir

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