Looking Back
It's hard to believe that the trip has come and gone. I can say that because my legs are no longer experiencing that constant state of soreness. Please check out the pictures. The scenery was one of the best parts of the trip. It just can't be beaten (except for that stretch on the W&OD trail between Reston and Herndon). The fun will hit home again in a few weeks when watching the Tour de France coverage on TV and we get to see the pros covering the same ground that we were just on.
Our plans were certainly more grandiose than our actual rides, but not by much. We never found the Col de Izoard and Mitch will forever be haunted by the fact that he took the tunnel at the top of the Galibier rather than taking that last kilometer at a 10% gradient to the absolute summit. Judging by how abysmal he felt the next day, he definitely made the right decision. But at least it gives him a good excuse to go back!
Looking at my computer files, here are my stats: 7 days, 500 miles, and 35 hours saddle time.
Here is a list of the Cols we climbed, their altitude, and their TdF category rankings (we all may not have done each one, but at least one of us climbed each one during that 7 day period):
Alpe d'Huez, 1860m, hors category (multiple ascents for each)
Col de Galibier, 2645m, hors category
Mont Ventoux, 1912m, hors category
Col de Croix de Fer, 2067m, hors category
Col de la Madeleine, 2000m, hors category
Col de Glandon, 1924m, hors category
Les Deux Alpes, 1650m, 1st category
Sestriere, 2033m, 1st category
Col de Lauteret, 2058, 2nd category
Col de Telegraphe, 1566m, 2nd category
Col de Montgenevre, 1850m, 2nd category
Col du Mollard, 1638m, 2nd category
Col d'Ornon, 1371m, 2nd category
Col de Sarenne, 1999m
Let us know if Virginia is getting to drab for EVO training camp, and we can definitely throw out some ideas!
posted by Janus @ 1:42 PM
1 comments
1 Comments:
1 year later, a small update to the list of cols:
Montgenevre is 2nd category
Sestriere is 1st category
The Montgenevre-Sestriere combo was where Riis took the lead in the 1996 tour:
"Monday was expected to be the big day that would really sort things out with the Iseran, Galibier, Montgenèvre and a climb to Sestriere on the menu. The weather didn't cooperate. Winds clocked at over 100 kilometers an hour blew at the summits of the Iseran and the Galibier. The Tour organization shortened the stage to just 46 kilometers leaving the riders to contest the Montgenèvre and the final ascent to Sestriere. Almost from the start Riis started shooting. 3 times he attacked and was brought back. The fourth attack Riis unleashed was too much for the others and up the Montgenèvre he flew. He crested the top 20 seconds ahead of the about 15 riders left in the front chase group. On the final climb Riis extended his lead while Berzin couldn't take the pace set by Leblanc, Indurain and the others. When the smoke had cleared, Riis was the new leader. Riis rode over the 2 mountains at an incredible average speed of 39.019 kilometers an hour."
No mention of whether Riis ate a panini at the top of Sestriere.
Squirrel and I did not quite average 39 km/h for the Montgenevre - Sestriere duo. Then again, we had to climb back over Montgenevre and were at least planning to do the Col d'Izoard later in the day. No wimpy excuses about high winds for us.
- Slug
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