Stage 2 of 2.
Breakfast at the hotel packing up and taking off. It's so much easier with minimal gear! -- Looking forward to a long 50km gentle decent into Modane and further to recover a bit before hitting the next climbs. Ben already took the bikes out as I stepped out of the hotel -- and checked pressure. A beautiful morning, a very slight chill, staring elevation is 1500m today :) We did the major part of the climbing already and could take a little more time to today!
Riding out of Lanslebourg-Mont-Cenis (1500m) on (D1006) towards Modane (1100m). Easy rolling on a gentle -1..-2% road alongside a river, passing Termignon, Sollieres-Sardieres and all sudden finding a road blockade:
Blasting work ahead on some mountain side. Even some one there not letting any one though for safety. So now that about our nice and easy descent -- backtracking about 6km to Sollieres-Sardieres and heading over to the other side of the river a little above the valley towards Aussois -- a small climb up on D83. But very pretty. While Py stopped briefly to take the picture on right above Ben kept going. -- Realize the "plain" D 83 road marker? So those are not TdF specific -- just those on famous TdF climbs are customized with additional information! -- In Aussois a little confused about a turn but figured there were no wrong options as the uphill variant ended in a ski area parking lot. Heading on to a fast fun and quick descent on D215 into Modane where Ben waited.
Shopping for second breakfast in a supermarket before heading on more fast gentle downhill on D1006 to Saint-Julien-Mont-Denis.
Filling up water before tacking the first longer climb up Col du Mollard on D80. Very scenic. Lunch/Coffee break in Albiez le Vieux.
Heading on using D926 on cyclist's dream roads via Saint Jean d'Arves tacking a good climb up to Croix de Fer.
Up up up to col de la Crois de Fer (D926). Starting with moderate 5..6%. This marker was the 2nd one or on second kilometer. Later it steepened up to 8..10%.
Here the opposite of Croix de Fer, one more beautiful valley:
Descending from Croix de Fer on D526, featuring a great fast road to rip some speed on D526 and a little counter climb changing into a different valley hitting a final super fast descent into Le Verney at Lac du Verney. Almost back, Ben though there was still time to hit one more climb up D44B, D211B to Huez.... and give the road up the Alpe a try downhill! The climb up felt a little long... but ended in a rewarding passage over to Huez and a fun fast decent on D211 into Bourg.
Instant recovery stop next to the hotel where we were going to check in soon, do some laundry and make plans for the next day -- stay tuned!
And most important -- great dinner at La Romanche!
Again -- one of the most amazing places for cycling. Seams the town is dominated by cyclists, mostly road bikes but also mountain bikes -- riders zipping around every where...
No comments:
Post a Comment