Haute Route Alps 2023 course reveal

[g-boaf]

Nice course Jeff (Jean-François Alcan) - well done! Already know some very strong riders are going to be there.

Total 725km and 19500m+

Stage 1: Megeve-Megeve, 99km and 2400m+ (Start and finish from Palais de Sport)
Col de Romme 1297m+
Col de la Colombiere 1613m+
Col des Aravis 1487m+

Stage 2: Megeve-Alpe d'Huez 152km, 3900m+
Col du Glandon 1924m+
Alpe d'Huez 1810m+

Stage 3: Bourg D'Oisans - Alpe d'Huez, 83km 2900m+
Col de Sarenne 1999m+ (very poor road surface)
Alpe d'Huez 1810m+

Stage 4: Alpe d'Huez - Col du Galiber 123km 4000m+ (Queen stage)
Col de la Croix de Fer 2067m+
Col du Télégraphe 1566m+
Col du Galibier 2642m+

Stage 5: Serre Chevalier Briançon-Col du Granon (ITT) 15km 1200m+
Col du Granon 2413m+

Stage 6: Serre Chevalier Briançon - Cuneo (Italy) 140km 2900m+
Col d'Izoard 2360m+
Col d'Agnel 2744mm

Stage 7: Cuneo-Nice 144km 2800m+
Col de Tende 1871m+
Col de Brouis 879m+
Col de Braus 1002m+
Col de Nice 412m+

Stage 2 and Stage 4 are the nasty ones. This year you get a double serve of Alpe d'Huez and Col du Galibier thrown in as a bonus. Galibier is a really nice climb and the road is very good. Col du Granon is the time trial stage this year instead of Col d'Izoard which is still in the course, but part of a normal stage.

Rest of the season:

[MichaelB]

Only Stage 2 & 4 are nasty ???

Holy hell, individually they are all hard, let alone all stages together.

Would be brilliant to do !!

[g-boaf]

Only Stage 2 & 4 are nasty ???

Holy hell, individually they are all hard, let alone all stages together.

Would be brilliant to do !!

True - people who have done these before are used to the stages. I remember in 2018 the second last stage had Cime de la Bonnette (2850m+), Col de vars well. That was a long stage! My Garmin died that day so I didn’t get to record Bonnette fully. That year also had Galibier and Sarenne.

My entry from 2022 was transferred to 2023 so I’m in again. This time plan to use disc brakes for first time in the mountains as opposed to Sydney’s little hills.

[MichaelB]

My entry from 2022 was transferred to 2023 so I’m in again. This time plan to use disc brakes for first time in the mountains as opposed to Sydney’s little hills.

Nice target for your recovery !!

[g-boaf]

My entry from 2022 was transferred to 2023 so I’m in again. This time plan to use disc brakes for first time in the mountains as opposed to Sydney’s little hills.

Nice target for your recovery !!

It's certainly a target, a tough one. I didn't really have a choice so I thought argh, stuff it - try again.

I need to find some videos of a few of those climbs, Col d'Agnel I don't know about at all.

So far I know these ones: Colombiere, Galibier (very nice road), Aravis, Izoard, Sarenne, Alpe D'Huez (ridden it downhill at least), Glandon (very fast descent, off-camber corners).

If anyone is interested in doing it, you have time to enter, the entries are at Tier 2 at the moment.

[MichaelB]

For those interested, in the thread from WW

https://weightweenies.starbike.com/foru ... 4&t=170442

is a good writeup of the 2022 event along with some good pics

[g-boaf]

For those interested, in the thread from WW

https://weightweenies.starbike.com/foru ... 4&t=170442

is a good writeup of the 2022 event along with some good pics

Haha, short gears for La Loze - I’ve ridden that- bike path world championships above Courchevel 1850, 5 little ramp sections at the top thst are very steep!

Consider that was the end of the stage Megeve Courchevel and we’d already ridden up through 1650 and 1850. Then find this amazing bike path and walking track at the top of a mountain! Cars not allowed, even the course cars, only a few of them were allowed to the top (just Fergus Grant and Jeff).

[Sharkey]

Wow. Looks like an incredible event. I could possibly do one of those stages but would have trouble backing up the next day, let alone day after day.

The Col Collective have some of those climbs on their Youtube channel:

The Col d'Agnel looks amazing


I have ridden the Croix de Fer and it is also spectacular. You will ride down most of it on stage 2 so get to see it before going up on stage 4.

[MichaelB]

Wow. Looks like an incredible event. I could possibly do one of those stages but would have trouble backing up the next day, let alone day after day.
...

+1,000 to that

The Col Collective have some of those climbs on their Youtube channel:
...

They have some great videos. Looked at them quite a bit prior to my trip in 2016.

[g-boaf]

Wow. Looks like an incredible event. I could possibly do one of those stages but would have trouble backing up the next day, let alone day after day.

It's not too bad, at the end of the stage you go and book in your time for the massage - that helps a lot. You also eat a heck of a lot and they do have meals for you at the end of each stage. Thanks for posting the videos!

At every evening, you go to the stage awards presentation and the briefing for the next day, this is one of them:
https://photos.smugmug.com/photos/i-RRB ... R-1920.mp4
Fergus Grant and Jeff (Jean-François) presenting. I recorded that for another rider.

You also often get one of these:


Cryotherapy. It does actually work, very, very cold - reduces soreness a bit.

Your best training is to try and simulate long climbs however you can, trainers work, just do long intervals at low cadence. It works, then ride as many hilly/technical routes you can locally.

They give you these also:




Stage 5 both years was the ITT. In the 2018 event it was ride down from Risoul where we were staying down to Guillestre for the start (at your allotted time) and then ride back up to Risoul flat out if you are going for the TT win (and the Tag Heuer watch). Obviously to be up the front or be battling to get the watch you've got to be pro-cyclist level. Most of them I've encountered are at that level. Carlo Fino, Tristan Cardew (many of you will know him), Liam Holohan (all three were battling for the 2018 GC) for instance.

[slipsam]

Only Stage 2 & 4 are nasty ???

Holy hell, individually they are all hard, let alone all stages together.

Would be brilliant to do !!

True - people who have done these before are used to the stages. I remember in 2018 the final stage had Cime de la Bonnette (2850m+), Col de la Loze as well and Col d’Eze plus Col Saint Martin. That was a long stage! My Garmin died that day so I didn’t get to record Bonnette fully. That year also had Galibier and Sarenne.

My entry from 2022 was transferred to 2023 so I’m in again. This time plan to use disc brakes for first time in the mountains as opposed to Sydney’s little hills.

I think you're getting your stages mixed up. I did it in 2018 and final day was relatively easy with Col Saint Martin and Col D'Eze. Bonnette was the day before, Stage 6.

[g-boaf]

Only Stage 2 & 4 are nasty ???

Holy hell, individually they are all hard, let alone all stages together.

Would be brilliant to do !!

True - people who have done these before are used to the stages. I remember in 2018 the final stage had Cime de la Bonnette (2850m+), Col de la Loze as well and Col d’Eze plus Col Saint Martin. That was a long stage! My Garmin died that day so I didn’t get to record Bonnette fully. That year also had Galibier and Sarenne.

My entry from 2022 was transferred to 2023 so I’m in again. This time plan to use disc brakes for first time in the mountains as opposed to Sydney’s little hills.

I think you're getting your stages mixed up. I did it in 2018 and final day was relatively easy with Col Saint Martin and Col D'Eze. Bonnette was the day before, Stage 6.

Yes I am, you are right - too long ago. I saw it when I posted the stickers again. Vars was not very hard on day 6, Bonnette only difficult because of the length, the height and the steep bit at the top. The downhill was pretty fast I remember that very clearly. At my weight the speed I was getting was pretty insane.

Did your accommodation in Risoul get evacuated due to the fire alarm? I understand it was due to someone putting their luggage on a bench and it started the stove going...

The place in Auron was halfway up a hill and had a gravel driveway. I remember the two dogs they had there, the scruffy one was very friendly - the little one very aggressive and growling at everyone except at dinner time when it suddenly was very friendly for handouts.

[queequeg]

Sigh - I get all the e-mails for these announcements all the time, since I am on their list from my cancelled 2017 trip to do all three of the 7 day events back to back (Triple Crown).

I still want to do this, but life keeps getting in the way. Every time I think I am ahead, something else happens.

My company is now European owned and we can work from any office, which means I now have all of Western Europe open to me. Was thinking of spending the summer in Europe working and riding. We have offices all over France, Spain, Belgium, Germany etc. I just have to work out how to do it and leave my family behind in Sydney! It's not easy with special needs kids. Then there's the money of course...my 2017 trip was going to cost $35,000. I hate to think what it would cost now!

[warthog1]

It would be nice to do had I enough k's in the legs.
Not ever happening at that price!!

The alpine classic will have to do

[g-boaf]

Sigh - I get all the e-mails for these announcements all the time, since I am on their list from my cancelled 2017 trip to do all three of the 7 day events back to back (Triple Crown).

I still want to do this, but life keeps getting in the way. Every time I think I am ahead, something else happens.

My company is now European owned and we can work from any office, which means I now have all of Western Europe open to me. Was thinking of spending the summer in Europe working and riding. We have offices all over France, Spain, Belgium, Germany etc. I just have to work out how to do it and leave my family behind in Sydney! It's not easy with special needs kids. Then there's the money of course...my 2017 trip was going to cost $35,000. I hate to think what it would cost now!

I get special prices by virtue of having done previous HR events. It's still costly. I considered for a while just abandoning this completely. It depends on how I go riding next year - if things don't feel right I'll call it quits and that will be it for good.

I think 2023 will be the last one I do. I'll be pouring the rest of my money into paying down a mortgage now as fast as possible.

It would be nice to do had I enough k's in the legs.
Not ever happening at that price!!

The alpine classic will have to do

There are always other prices outside of what is generally advertised.

[slipsam]

Yes I am, you are right - too long ago. I saw it when I posted the stickers again. Vars was not very hard on day 6, Bonnette only difficult because of the length, the height and the steep bit at the top. The downhill was pretty fast I remember that very clearly. At my weight the speed I was getting was pretty insane.

Did your accommodation in Risoul get evacuated due to the fire alarm? I understand it was due to someone putting their luggage on a bench and it started the stove going...

The place in Auron was halfway up a hill and had a gravel driveway. I remember the two dogs they had there, the scruffy one was very friendly - the little one very aggressive and growling at everyone except at dinner time when it suddenly was very friendly for handouts.

Ha, no missed the Rissoul saga, I stayed halfway down the hill at a hotel that had a pool with amazing views. A few beers and stretches in the pool!
The TT was a rest day for me, I even stopped along the way and asked a local for a photo! Would post pics if it wasnt so hard on here.

I went with Two Wheel Tours, Sydney based who have done every Haute Route since inception. Highly recommend them!

[g-boaf]

Ha, no missed the Rissoul saga, I stayed halfway down the hill at a hotel that had a pool with amazing views. A few beers and stretches in the pool!
The TT was a rest day for me, I even stopped along the way and asked a local for a photo! Would post pics if it wasnt so hard on here.

I went with Two Wheel Tours, Sydney based who have done every Haute Route since inception. Highly recommend them!

Oh yes, I know Will and Laurie. Both of them excellent. They are about as well known as Richard (BWCC) and the coffee van. Recognise the cups? These are from his van:



I didn't manage to snare any Alps ones however. But the two Dolomites ones go with my 2017 Dolomites jersey. Big shout-out to the BWCC people, really awesome group.

For others, this is Will near the start of the video (after Cedrick and Hiroshi):



I couldn't believe how quick Cedrick was. Hiroshi was the lantern rouge rider - also really cool, he did some long days of riding. The Lantern Rouge rider basically stays with the riders at the back and helps them get through the stage, they will go as slow as they need to. There are a number of different ones, even Fergus Grant was a lantern rouge rider in the past.

Most of those people on the videos are the ambassadors, others are well known riders - I know a few of you will recognise some of them. 4:17 is Max Ruphy, great mechanic, good guy and also used to race bikes.