Oisans - Col De La Croix De Fer - Glandon - Day 5 (GBF13)

Last day riding from Bourg. Looking like it's going to be a hot day.

Today backtracking our previous decent from Croix de Fer on D526. Glad not to have the pack any more -- a steady good 10..12% climb. The lower wooded part felt good with the shade, later sun exposed getting burned on... then better at higher elevation but still heavy sun exposure.



Some company by other riders, mostly leaving them behind passing up on them.
The pseudo "sky" rider we would see a few more times later. From Croix de Fer descending now on D926 all the way into Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne. Looking for lunch, but only one place we disliked due to non suitable seating space outside. Hot either way all the way done at 500m. Heading on further D906, D1006 now towards [add: fast near flat/slight descent moving, some team of about 8 riders coming up the road in opposite direction, looking good.] Saint-Avre and finding the entry to Col de Glandon on D927.



As we skipped lunch so fart and did not found anything, just a quick snack and water refill as we entered the climb to Col de Glandon and decided to take any opportunity about 1/2 way en route to Col de Glandon. Some where around 1100m near Saint-Colomban-des-Villards Ben found and stopped at a restaurant. Little refreshments before making it to the top:



Then backtracking on D526 again and retuning to Bourg.

Back at the car. Final walk around town looking for a little souvenir... Then driving to Annecy-le-Vieux for further exploration of some TdF climbs and roads.
Checking in at a hotel in Annecy -- while some heavy thunder downpour just eased up. Evening cool down from the past heat wave!

Mont Cenis to Le Bourg D'Oisans - Day 4 (GBF13)

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... 

Le Bourg D'Oisans to Mont Cenis - Day 3 (GBF13)

Stage 1 of 2 -- Le Bourg de Oisans to Mont Cenis.

Alarm 7am, breakfast planned for 7:30 -- but the little hotel was just about to set  up a simple buffet... coffee, hot milk, cereal, croissants, jam... -- French breakfast! Charged up and good to go :)

 

Rolling out of town, Ben putting in a great pace flying by a bunch of riders. Fun! We were going towards Lac du Chambon (D1091) again, slightly uphill and slowly increasing slope as we were approaching Col du Lautaret. Waiting for a light -- one way traffic for construction...

 

At the top of the mountain pass Col du Lautaret, entering the closed road up to Gallibier (D902).

    

Entering the close road. Some rumours some one went over it, curious... Well this is what we got:

 

Some snow removal activities with about 200m (elevation) to go to enter the tunnel from where it was clear again -- but no way to get there, needed some touring ski... or been stuck in 1..2m of heavy wet snow where even big machines had trouble. We got told not before 1 week or so. Snow is still pressing down/avalanches from the mountain side making a safe passage or even

cleaning the road impossible on the last stretch.

 

Meeting a few other riders photo time and descending back down to Lautaret, then a fun long fast descent continuing on (D1091) with a -3..-1% grade into town Briancon for lunch.

 

What a ramp right after lunch out of Briancon on (D994G)... then moderate uphill a nice Col del Echelle and a fast long decent into Susa -- flying again with 40..50 km/h sustained, making nearly 50km distance in not much over an hour -- just a little hill (D1T). Non stop flying into Susa on (SS335/SS24), a quick snack on road side -- preparing for a long final climb of the day up to Lac du Mont Cenis on (SS25, D1006), climbing and nibbling on the last Cliff bar and water... 

Here a few impressions:

And final descent into Lanslebourg-Mont-Cenis. Checking in at the first hotel we found. Great dinner :) Almost to exhausted to sleep well.