Once a wall that was so steep it was dropped from the Tour of Lombardy. Now it’s back and part-road, part-architectural installation and billed as the world’s toughest cycle path.
Travel
Roads to Ride: The Plateau de Solaison
How many times have you driven somewhere, or been sat in a train, and looked out to see a road and thought “I have to ride that“. The Plateau de Solaison is one such place, visible from the autoroute between France and Italy as a balcony road cut into high cliffs. It’s also the final climb of the final stage of the Critérium du Dauphiné this year, a discovery for the pro peloton and a very tough climb.
Roads to Ride: The Mont du Chat
French magazine Le Cycle has labelled the Mont du Chat “one of the hardest” climbs in France and it’s back on the route of the Critérium du Dauphiné and the Tour de France after vanishing from these races for decades.
A challenging climb, almost traffic-free and with superb views from the summit. What’s not to like? Actually it’s hard work with few rewards along the way and a useful example of how the enjoyment of a climb depends on more than the road itself.
Roads to Ride: Mount Etna
The finish of the Giro d’Italia’s fourth stage this year, Mount Etna or simply “the mountain” to locals in Sicily is an active volcano with several roads to the top. What’s it like to ride?
Film Review: Thereabouts 3
It’s got explosions, near accidents, sprints, anger, tears and more yet this a documentary film that invites meditation on the state of pro cycling. If you’re the type who acts first and thinks later then you might find yourself on a flight to Colombia very soon with your bike sitting in the hold below.
Homes of Cycling: The Basque Country
The Tour of the Basque Country is on this week and a chance to take a closer look at this region which is one of the hotbeds of cycling in Europe. It’s packed with clubs, pro teams, races, knowledgeable fans and berets.
Roads to Ride: Nice to Sanremo
With Paris-Nice done and Milan-Sanremo coming up soon it’s only a short ride along the coast between their two finish lines. Along the way there’s plenty of interest to the sport, from fine climbs, star gazing and a cycle path that’s so good the Giro used it for its opening stage a couple of years ago. Plus the definitive answer to whether it’s San Remo or Sanremo.
Roads to Ride: Cormet de Roselend
Scenery, altitude, length, gradient, little traffic and variety: the Cormet de Roselend has it all. The only thing missing is celebrity status. The Tour de France has only used it a few times for the blunt reason that the pass was only tarmacked in the 1970s.
Why Have So Many French Cafés Closed?
Riding some of the Tour de France route last summer under the pretext of route recons for this website’s stage previews was a pleasure. Cycling through rural France in the height of summer is always a joy.
Along the way there was a common theme of closed village cafés. Place after place so many had shut for good that there had to be a reason behind this trend and a mental note was made to explore what’s happening.
Roads to Ride – The Kogashi Forest
Alpe d’Huez, Mont Ventoux, the Muur van Geraardsbergen… the Kogashi Forest. You probably know the first three so here’s a closer look at a mountain road that’s packed with passionate, knowledgeable fans when the Japan Cup comes along.