Jump to content

Tour de France - Col du Galabier


idun
 Share

Recommended Posts

Well in two days the cyclists go through and at the moment it is like mid winter up there, very cold and snowing like mad. I know it can and does snow when it wants up there, ie in mid summer, but I do feel for those cyclists and hope it improves before they arrive.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

[quote user="Mr Coeur de Lion"]Might be better to ride in cooler weather?[/quote]

[:D][:D][:D]

It's an area we know and love, but cit an be very inhospitable even in mid-summer. We've not been there when it's actually snowing in summer, but we once came over the top in thick fog, which was very frightening! [:'(] It obviously wasn't at all foggy when we set off from St Michel de Maurienne, but got bad as we got higher. It was very scary, as we knew very well what it was like down below as we slowly made our way down towards La Grave!

Snow often lies up there in summer - nice on photos, but not nice when walking. Many know Mont Ventoux can be very inhospitable and can be freezing up there whatever the time of year, but Galibier can be too! For good measure, I believe they'll be cycling galibier twice this year, to mark the 100th anniversary of Galibier by the peleton! I wish them well!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

As you will know if you saw the TV pics. The snow had almost all gone! We were dead lucky, we walked up from the Maurienne side (just outside Valloire) in relative peace, went through the tunnel to see hoards and no good standing places, so headed off in the wrong direction to the ridge, doubled back and, with about 30 other folk, were right behind the finish line, 30feet above the enclosure. Couldn't have hoped for a better view. Going to Telegraphe today to see what tat we can collect from the Caravan.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

For once, I watched, as sometimes I suffer with withdrawal symptoms from not seeing 'my lovely mountains' and that was a nice dose of them for me. I was so glad to see that the weather had improved so much, as it was a mid winter scene a few days ago.

The tat, well some is useful and some well, why? just why do they dish it out.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

[:-))] We have had sun hats that looked like they were made of tea bag fabric. AWFUL!

Dangerous, giving my toddlers mens razors, now why would an adult give a 2 year old that? Very strange, but useful for Papa later though.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm a cycling fan, and incidentally I've ridden most of the big climbs, Alpe d'Huez, Tourmalet, etc (not on the same day though... not even in the same year!! [:D]), and yes, the "caravan", the convoy of advertising vehicles, does give away stuff, usually flung to the side of the road so that you have to scramble for it, but it's just cheap stuff like key-rings, fridge magnets, caps, pens which last a week etc. Would you expect to get good stuff for nowt? We go for the spectacle of the riders, not the tat. If you want proper souvenirs like yellow jerseys you can buy them online; they're Nike and really expensive!

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well, I like the atmosphere and the noise and hullaballoo........just something that is so outside of my normal preference and experience.  I just like being part of a crowd for a change.

I'm also a cycling fan, Sid.  In fact I have cycled in Turkey from Istanbul to Ephesus but that was for charity and with full support vehicles carrying refreshments, spares, first aid, etc.

I don't much like going far on my own and only go where I am able to walk back should anything happen to the bike.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well! We got some good stuff! Cake, Haribo, Washing Powder. Walked up half way for the Tat then went down to "just above" St Michel to see the riders go buy, then down a little further to watch the rest of Telegraphe on a Big Screen. Good day. Certainly have to take my hat off to Thomas V (can't spell his surname ;-) ). Not sure which hat I took off.... was it the Skoda one, the Carrefore or LCL..... Oh I know, it was my awful Union Flag Bobble Hat!
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Oh, before you get me wrong, I'm not just about the Tat. On Wednesday I was support crew for a very keen teenager who "needed" to train by doing St Jean de Maurienne, Col de Croix de Fer, Alp d'Huez, in just under 4 hours.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

[quote user="sid"]

I'm a cycling fan, and incidentally I've ridden most of the big climbs, Alpe d'Huez, Tourmalet, etc (not on the same day though... not even in the same year!! [:D]), and yes, the "caravan", the convoy of advertising vehicles, does give away stuff, usually flung to the side of the road so that you have to scramble for it, but it's just cheap stuff like key-rings, fridge magnets, caps, pens which last a week etc. Would you expect to get good stuff for nowt? We go for the spectacle of the riders, not the tat. If you want proper souvenirs like yellow jerseys you can buy them online; they're Nike and really expensive!

 

[/quote]

I take my hat off to anybody who can do that [B]

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks Norman, but it was a "few" years ago and I'm not sure I'd be able to do it now! It's very flat here in 79 so I don't get much hill practice! I lived in the Peak district in UK; hills everywhere!

Last time I rode Alpw d'Huez it took me 1h10m and I was really trying (and I was somewhat fitter then), but when you see the TdF riders go up there in around45 minutes, having already tackled several other climbs earlier the same day it really does bring it home to you how fit these guys are.

Well done Sweet, and keep on cycling, it's good for you! Plus the roads here are quieter and the drivers have so much more respect for cyclists so it's more enjoyable.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Sorry, not trying to trump you, I couldn't do Alp d'Huez in your time, but I'm dead chuffed because our best boy did that bit in about 55 mins, that's after doing Croix de Fer..... he's only 16 (but he does train very very hard.... he was UK under 16 time trial champion last year and he "plans" to be in the tour when he's old enough)
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share

×
×
  • Create New...