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Sunday Times Journalist Jeremy Lazell climbing the Col du Grand St Bernard TDMB,Sept 06 |
Tour du Mont Blanc |
The classic 4 day cycle tour circumnavigating Mont BlancThe Tour du Mont Blanc is now firmly established as a classic ride in its own right and in a recent Sunday Times feature was described as Europe's toughest. "It's not just a physical pain, either. It's spiritual. Pushing on even when you want to stop. It hurts your soul. But it also makes it sing. It's like yoga, a long, sweet pain that most of you prays will end, but some of you hopes will get worse." Jeremy Lazell Sunday Times Journalist
Traveling through France, Switzerland and Italy with a total vertical
gain in excess of 9000m/29500ft, the Tour du Mont Blanc travels though
spectacular mountain scenery with incredible long climbs and fast
descents. The route incorporates many high mountain passes that have
featured in the Tour De France (most recently 2006 stage17),
the Giro d Italia and the Tour of Switzerland. The June dates continue to
be used by many cyclists as part of there training for the Etape du
Tour and the final day takes you over three classic alpine climbs that
formed the course for the 2002 Etape. |
Day 1: distance 56kmLeave Chamonix, climb Col des Montets (1461 meters) into Switzerland then climb the Col des Forclaz (1527 meters) before dropping down to the valley floor before the third climb of the day to the beautiful lake side village of Champex, situated high up in the Swiss Alps. Day 2: distance 110kmFast descent from Champex to the valley floor and then climb the main valley road before forking right to head over the Col du Grand St Bernard (2473 meters) and into Italy. In June this climb can be spectacular with walls of snow banking the higher sections of the road. Once we have crossed the border into Italy it is a long and fast decent to Aosta and then a steady climb up the valley to our base for night in Pré St. Didier. Note-Option to ride Colle san Carlo additional 30km Day 3: distance 105kmOn day three it's a relaxed start for the climb to the Col de Petit St Bernard (2188m), crossing back into France and descending into Bourg St Maurice. We then climb the Cormet de Roselend (1968m): a tough climb which was covered in the 2002 Tour de France. This is followed by a long and fast descent towards Beaufort and a final climb to Hautluce for our third night stop over. Note: We have extended the route on the third day by 7km (climbing) and will now stay in the small village of Hautluce above Beaufort which means the distance on the last day will be reduced by approximately the same amount. Day 4: distance 149kmThe fourth and final day we have a short spin on a flat section to warm up before climbing the Col des Saisies (1633m/5357ft). We then race down to Flumet before climbing the Col des Aravis (1498m/4914ft). After a short descent through La Grand Bornand we climb the Col de la Colombiere (1618m/5308ft), drop down into Cluses then climb the back roads up to Chamonix for the finish. Note - Option to return to Chamonix on the classic route reducing the distance by 50km
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La Ferme du Chozal our base for third night is an authentic alpine
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©2007 GPM10
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Photography: Richard Lundberg |