The Col de la Loze is the newest paved climb in the Alps and the high point of the 2020 Tour de France. It’s also a confounding climb and the world’s most sporty cycle path.
Alps
Critérium du Dauphiné Stage 4 Preview
A hard day in the Alps, today’s stage is up and down all day with 4,600m of vertical gain.
Critérium du Dauphiné Stage 3 Preview
Another day, another summit finish and this time with the giant Col de la Madeleine in the way.
Critérium du Dauphiné Stage 2 Preview
The race goes into the Alps with a short stage and a big summit finish, today is a big test of form and fitness with a long climb that’s the hardest summit finish of the week.
Critérium du Dauphiné Route
The route for the 2020 Critérium du Dauphiné race (31 May- 7 June) has been unveiled today and for only the second time in the race’s history there’s no time trial. Instead it’s a race of two halves with a flatter first part before four consecutive stages in the Alps with beaucoup climbing. Often a highlight of the year, the route borrows from this summer Tour de France but there are also some “new” climbs.
2020 Tour de France Route
The route of the 2020 Tour de France is out and it’s mountainous with mountain stages galore and more summit finishes than ever. Here’s a closer look at the stages and tomorrow we’ll look more closely at some of the details, themes and more.
Roads to Ride: Val Thorens
The final climb of the final mountain stage of the 2019 Tour de France, the climb to Val Thorens is a giant, 33km long to reach 2,365m above sea level. Here’s a closer look.
What Makes A Grand Tour?
Once upon a time a “grand tour” was a term applied to the journey young noblemen would take around Europe to finish off their education, perfecting languages and learning new things. As a cycling term it seems only to have appeared only in the 1990s as a collective label for the respective tours of Spain, Italy and France and implies a three week race. But with women’s cycling building its own calendar, can the women’s peloton have its own grand tours in new places?
The Mountain Passes of Italy
The Giro continues its foray in to the Alps and tackles the Colle San Carlo today, literally the “Saint Charles Pass”. But isn’t passo the word for a mountain pass in Italy? Yes, it’s the standard terms however Italy, probably more than any other country, has many words for a mountain pass. In English “pass” is widespread, maybe there’s a “gap” here or a “saddle” there, but there are few synonyms. Italy has so many we can go from A-Z and the names often tell a story.
Roads to Ride: Pian del Lupo
A new climb for the Giro, the road to Pian del Lupo is hard going and offers great views from the top.