Category Archives: Tdf trip planning

Information on seeing the Tour de France in person, including the process I go through myself each year- figuring out the TdF route, finding places to stay, rental cars, trains & more.

Epic fail on Tourmalet today

Ride reports (not Tu/Th), Tdf trip planning

Thankfully, most of the ride went fine, just the climb up the Campan side of the Tourmalet. An “easy” 100k ride to see today’s Tour de France stage, only it appears I have some issues when it gets really hot. Dang, I used to do pretty well when it’s hot, and I still do fine (better than fine, actually) on the flats and even into headwinds when it’s hot. But today on the Tourmalet, that was not my finest two hours.

Kevin had no such issues; he could ride at whatever speed he wanted up the hill. But starting at about 8k from the top, I was sweating more than normal, I was losing power, and finally had to do the unthinkable. Yes, I actually walked about a kilometer up hill.

At least I didn’t lose anything permanent, like Cadel Evans did today. Another 4 minutes off the pace, so there’s no way Cadel can even hope to make the podium in Paris this year. Me? I just lost face to my son, although there was some measure of redemption on the return when we hit quite a headwind on the gentle lower slopes of the Tourmalet, and I had quite a train of riders drafting behind me for quite a few miles. That, I’ll admit, was fun.

This is what happens when you improvise

Personal stuff, Ride reports (not Tu/Th), Tdf trip planning, , ,
There’s no mystery to this spot; it’s as steep as it looks. Maybe steeper. Col d’Andorre it’s called.

Ouch. It was going to be an “easy” day between two pretty tough ones, a loop from Lourdes up the valley to Argeles Gazost, with a little kicker up D102 for fun. Looked like about 800 feet of climbing on that loop. Which would have been fine, except, at the top, there’s a tiny little orange sign next to a water faucet (and it’s 94 degrees so you’ve definitely stopped for the water!). Col d’Andorre, 6km. Hmm. How bad can it be?

Gravel… again!
We went just far enough to ensure that it was, in fact, gravel forever.

Pretty darned bad, and without even the satisfaction of completing it, thanks to it turning to gravel after about 4km or so. Steep? Yes, it’s Sonora Pass steep. Great views, little traffic, but wow. Did get us KOMs for that piece though, primarily because only one other Strava person has ever dared to try it before.