Passo delle Stelvio (Stilfser Joch in German) is one of the most famous, beautiful, high, and fun cycling rides anywhere.

I’ll insert elevation chart soon.

I was afraid of bad weather but lucked out (a little snow!) and enjoyed one of the greatest rides of my life.

This is one of those climbs that many of us dream about - and it didn’t disappoint. With roughly 1800 metres of climb (6000 feet), it is a true giant (less than 50 metres from being the highest paved road/pass in Europe). But it’s the unbelievable surroundings and the never-ending hairpins that make this climb so memorable.

I won’t say much ….. I’ll leave it to the photos.

Half way down:

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Martin’s last day, and we had hoped to do Stelvio. But the long drive and terrible forecast meant that we decided to be just slightly less ambitious.

Passo delle Erbe is a big, beautiful climb …. at least we have been told it is beautiful …. but we were rained on throughout and fog/clouds blocked the big views. At just under 2000m it’s a serious mountain - hard work. Martin had his climbing legs and absolutely outrode me today …. and patiently waited as I descended like a (wise?) coward.

After adding 5 layers, we survived the descent and battled the long, slightly uphill return. The last 5 kms it absolutely dropped buckets … but at the lower altitude, we decided to remain cheerful (and drenched).

Below: A hint of view from the top:

But we had fun. I’ll post an elevation/grade chart when I get a chance …. but the climb is very variable … sometimes easy sometimes extremely steep. But a worthwhile addition to any visit …. especially if sunny.

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Sunday, Martin and I successfully completed the Maratona dles Dolomites.

138 kms; 4,000 metres of vertical ascent along maybe the most beautiful route I have ever ridden. For a more detailed preview of the course see here.

7 main climbs with 5 above 2,000 metres. Lots of sunshine and YES, a little hail. For the official results - click here .

Just about every photo was taking while sitting on my bike.

This event was brilliantly organized. Amazing course, Roads closed to cars for entire route, frequent food/drink stations, frequent mechanic aid stations, newly surfaced roads, above average after race food, etc.

With something like 10,000 riders, the first third of the race was crowded, but the views of thousands of riders snaking up mountains was incredible. Every one was in good spirits and several of us commented how “respectful” and cheerful the peloton was.

The only traffic of the day were endless ambulances passing by. A sobering reminder of how dangerous descending large mountains can be.

The first section of the race was a 55 km loop around the Sella Ronde, climbing 4 Passes (Campolongo, Pordoi, Sella, and Gardena). Perhaps as enjoyable and beautiful a ride as I have had. At this point, we were still fresh enough to gasp at every new panorama (this would change later).

After the loop, we then climbed Campolongo again and realized there was still an awful lot of work to do - we were less than half way.

Passo Giau was by far the hardest part of the day. It was suddenly dead quiet, with the only sounds heavy breathing as we all concentrated on passing the 29 sign-posted hairpins.

10 kms averaging 9.3% was misleading as some flat parts meant there were long stretches far steeper.

As we approached the top, the weather started turning. And as I finished stuffing my face with food, it started to pour with cold rain. This was at 2235 metres and I decided the only sensible plan was to descend immediately. And then it started hailing (ok it was pretty light hail)!

Fortunately, after a few kms we rode out of the storm - and despite threatening skies I made it to the finish before the next brief downpour.

The final climb to Passo Val Parola was much easier, and I enjoyed a very fast final descent to the finish - in fact I enjoyed all the descents more than I usually do, in part due to the superb road surfaces.

Other cyclosportives I was pleased to have done once. But I would happily do the Maratona dles Dolomites again. As good as it gets.

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With five climbs and some of the steepest stretches in the entire Tour, this stage (along with Ventoux) will be the toughest test of the race. Almost the entire stage is either up or down. Even the flat parts aren’t really flat.

Here is a preview of each climb along with a few viewing tips.

For a preview of Stage 16 - The Grand and Petit St Bernard - see here.

#1 - Cormet de Roselend

East Side: The climb: 20.3 kms (12.6 miles) The Ascent: 1,160 metres (3,800 feet)

This will be the 10th time Cormet de Roselend has appeared in the Tour.

This stunning climb is the highest point of the stage at almost 2000 metres. While never too steep, it’s long and a tough start to the day. The descent is not technical at all - the riders will fly down the other side - past a beautiful alpine lake/dam.

Viewing tip: In the hairpins below Cret Bettex is marked the spot where Johan Bruyneel crashed over a ledge in the ‘96 TdF - look for the “Johan” written in yellow on the safety wall. Race footage of the crash is here

#2 - Col des Saisies

The climb: 15.2 kms (9.4 miles) The Ascent: 980 metres (3,215 feet)

This will be the 10th time Col des Saisies has appeared in the Tour.

There are 8 ways to cycle up to Saisies (!) - this is the classic south route. Not too steep again - but steady. We are in Beaufort cheese country.

Viewing tip: At the top of Col des Saisies is a French/American WW2 monument commemorating one of the biggest weapon drops to the French resistance - and the death of an American parachutist (see photo above).

#3 - Cote d’Araches

The climb: 6.3 kms (3.9 miles) The Ascent: 440 metres (1,440 feet)

The smallest climb of the day. This is in fact the first third of the climb to Col de Pierre Carrée - Flaine ski station. It’s a fun route climbing up a steep cliff face. Details of entire climb to Flaine - here.

Viewing tip: You are so close to Colombière, watch there, not here.

#4 and #5 - Col de la Colombière the hard way - Via Romme

The climb: 24.8 kms (15.4 miles) The Ascent: 1500 metres (4,920 feet)

This will be the 19th time the Tour climbs Col de la Colombière - but the 1st time via Col de Romme;

Exciting! Col de Romme is one of those local rides that we always wish would get added to the tour but assume it never will be. It starts beside the highway and just goes up. Amazing and steep.

It climbs above the classic route for Col de la Colombière and then descends 5 kms to join it.

The race will then finish by climbing the nasty half of Col de la Colombière (Colombe = Dove).

The last 3 kms are along side a cliff, very steep, and almost always into a strong wind! Last July (yes July), I was hailed on here. We are in Reblochon cheese country.

Viewing Tip: Half way, near Reposoir is a beautiful Chartreuse Monastery - well worth a visit (see photo above). If you watch at the 1km from the top marker, you will be on TV.

Final Thoughts?

This should be an epic, unbelievably difficult day. I expect the Grupetto to be 40 minutes behind the leaders. The final descent to Le Grand Bornand is not that long or technical, so first over should win the stage.

I’ll be the slow bald guy wearing polka dots - riding the final 2 climbs - if you see me say hi.

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The heatwave/humidity and the steepness made this maybe the hardest ride of the year. The unexpected (and long) thunderstorm made it the (2nd) wettest ride of the year.

There are 4 ways up the monster Col du Grand Colombier. Today’s route from Culoz is the second hardest, but the most scenic. For details on the +20% madness from Artemare, see here.

From the very start, the open route winds up the mountain with great views of the Rhone river and Lac du Bourget in the distance. Fun.

The route just winds it way up steep hairpins:

Honestly, looking at the grade chart (which is pretty impressive), it still felt worse …. partly the heat, partly the uneven grade, partly because Eric makes it looks so easy, partly because I am weak!.

The route then enters the woods with some easier stretches and a long, very steep 3 km ramp - a full km @ 12%.

From June 2006: Probably the most famous climb in the Juras.  There are four very steep ways up this monster.  To become a Confrérie des Fêlés du Grand Colombier (translated:  Brotherhood of Loons (freaks, crackpots) of Grand Colombier) one needs to climb all four in one day.  

We survived and made it to the top. I tried to weasel out and just descend back - but Eric “motivated” me to continue with the plan and descend down the other side to loop back via Col de la Biche. If only we had looked over our shoulders at the nasty clouds arriving.

This west side is the “easy” side of Col de la Biche - we would descend the very challenging east side. I took a short short-cut with a crazy 18%-20% stretch to join the main road - wow - Eric heard me screaming in pain. And Biche can start FAR lower than the elevation chart - but today this was enough - and included all the very steep parts.

The 6 kms we climbed are nasty - especially in the unexpected thunder storm that began with the climb. Lots of thunder, no lightning (or I would be hiding in a ditch).

Superman (Eric) who had ridden all the way from Geneva (an extra 90 kms or so to the loop) kept saying how refreshing the torrential rain was - while I whined about the thunder.

When we made the Col, Eric somehow thought that pouring rain meant no need to take a Col photo! Huh?

Still, he’s a great cycling partner for many reasons, but most of all for never complaining about how slow I descend - and on a bumpy, steep, hair-pinned, wet, long descent, this was especially slow.

Amazing how one can feel near death from heatstroke and then shiver with cold - on the same ride. A classic example of a ride that would have been less fun on my own.

Cyclo tourists will continue to flock to places like Alpe d’Huez, Galibier, and Ventoux - and for good reason. But this area — with Mont du Chat just down the road (Le Cycle magazine called it possibly the toughest climb in France) — is filled with challenging, stunning rides on virtually deserted roads.

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A simple plan: Cycle up the steep, beautiful Jura road to Col de Combe Blanche (aka: Col de la Vattay or Col de Puthod) then descend to Nyon to watch the Swiss National Road Race.

The climb was in France, but the descent was in Switzerland as we crossed the border up high at La Grande Grand.

For a change of pace, here’s a helmet cam video of some of the descent from La Baudichonne. To keep it interesting (and MUCH faster), I put the camera on Eric.

After descending, we met Katy and Martin in Nyon to watch the race. 180 kms, 11 laps. We had a quick wander around beautiful Nyon, a stop for the necessary beers to energize my legs, then returned to see the inevitable win by Fabian Cancellara.

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Two more very steep climbs in the Juras (Swiss Juras today), on scenic, if foggy, deserted roads.

These climbs remind me a lot of several other fantastic Jura climbs a little to the west - La Barillette, La Baudichon, and Mont Tendre.

They all wind up through forests on well surfaced, steep, car-free roads for several kilometres. Then, nearing the top, the trees thin out and it is rugged pasture land filled with cows. And on clear days the views of the lakes below and the distant Alps are amazing.

Today’s climbs are do-able with a road bike, but on both, the final two kilometres are a little rough

After seeing a couple of “beware of cows with calves” signs (green photo above) - as I approached the top of Suchet - I ran into a bunch of cows blocking the road - with no intention of moving.

The only disappointment? No altitude sign at top of Col de l’Aiguillon!

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Another couple of great - virtually car free - climbs in the Jura mountains.

In the shadows of their much steeper Jura neighbours: Mont Chat and Col du Grand Colombier, these two climbs are less steep but definitely worthwhile.

Don’t confuse these two climbs with their similarly named, but more famous cousins: Col de Port (Pyrenees) - details, Col de Porte (Grenoble) - details, and the Col du Ballon d’Alsace (Vosges) - details.

While both only about 1000 metres …. the starting points are low enough to make these - not too steep climbs - still fairly significant. And on deserted scenic roads …. just very pleasant.

Each col is atop a massif - and they are separated by a beautiful gorge.

View of start of Col de Portes climb from the descent of Col de Ballon:

There are at least 4 quiet road bike routes up to col de Porte. Start town ideas; Tenay, Lagnieu, Serrieres de Briord, La Vachat

If you like deserted cycling, on beautiful but not too steep roads - here you go.

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Doreen has cycled Alpe d’Huez, Ventoux, Galibier, etc. But she had never, ever cycled a century. At least not until today.

Starting in Annecy, we cycled beside the lake on the bike path to Albertville (and beyond) - turning around when we hit 50 kms (we felt no need to do any extra).

It’s a nice route, almost the entire way is on a car-free, bike path. While pretty flat, the entire way back was into a stiff head wind.

Well done, I am proud of you!

Below, tired but happy:

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OK, I cycle (slowly) a lot of climbs. But let me go out on a limb and say this is my absolute favourite climb - especially the south side.

How I got addicted to cycling uphill
I am occasionally asked why I started cycling uphill. My “epiphany” came one winter skiing in Val d’Isere.
I kept staring at this beautiful little road surrounded by high alps and mentioned that it would be a nice place to bicycle.

That road below - except under lots of snow.

Only later did I learn that it was the highest paved pass in France @ 2770 metres - the legendary Col de l’Iseran.

The epic Cime de la Bonette at 2802m is the highest paved road in France (and inches from the highest in Europe - but it is not a pass. Col de la Bonette is 2745 metres - 25 metres lower than Iseran.

After the ski trip, I had to wait 6 months until the snow was cleared, but I was so enchanted that I climbed it the day before it was open to cars. Addiction begins.

Today was the second time to climb the south side.

From Lanslebourg it’s 32 kms to the top, but after the short but steep Col de la Madeleine (no, not the famous Madeleine), the first 18 kms are generally flat and peaceful.

Then the road turns up. June is a great time to climb - it just opened - and there is plenty of snow around.

The south side is more remote and steeper than the Val d’Isere side. The route just climbs through the mountains. And it’s just a beautiful ride. I smiled a lot today:

Despite a heat wave down low, I was glad that I brought a couple of jackets for the descent. Obligatory, even in July/August.

Best climb of an already great year.

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