A day ride in the Pyrenees Just under 6 hrs in the saddle.

A day ride in the Pyrenees
Just under 6 hrs in the saddle.

We left town in the cold of a 9.00 o’clock start in the autumn in the Pyrenees. Leigh with a newspaper stuffed up his front (old style) and the rest of us just cold - knowing that as soon as we hit the climb it is jackets off.

down to Arreau - the start of the Col d’Aspin. This col has been used 69 times in the tour and rises from 704m in Arreau to 1489 at the top of the col in 12km ( a gain of 779m with a average of 6.5% and max of 8%.)

As the group stop to take jackets come off  I elect to continue and then later take my off on the fly when i warm up.  Riding solo with no maps, just the road signs - 6kms 8.7% to the summit.  The signs give the grade for the next km and how far to go so it is easy to gauge effort on the way.

the pedals are turning easy and I continue to tap away up the hill and this sets the tone for the day. I’m enjoying the individual ride and when the top comes, I stop for a few photos of cows wandering around the col, don wind jackets and push off - no sign of the others but everyone knows where they are going.

The climb up Aspin feels very west coast - beach forest on the mountains rising through green pastures to steep mtn tops (or so it seems)

The descent of course is a joy (aren’t they all) -hairpins, flowing open sections, and a long valley descent before turning left towards the col du Tourmalet.

Lots of rides going the other way - ascending the Aspin.

The ascent of the Tourmalet begins deceptively easily through farm yards on gradients of 3.6% and 4% but this changes as we enter the forest areas and the gradient jumps to 8% and stays there. The climb is steady but not really to demanding until it ramps up again to 10%below the ski resort of La Mongie. Perhaps it will flatten through this modern ski station but no - it stays at 10% for the next 5 kms to the top.

At least now you can see to the top - the twists and turns of the top zig zags. Quite a lot of mtn bikers on the tar - the first time we have seen that. I feel for them on the heavy bikes and I move past.

Lots of cars parked around the top - people out walking the high pyrenees to the Observatory on the Pic du Midi de Bigorre.

A group of Americans are lined up for a photo and I ask their guide to take one for me on the iPhone (10 euros for one photo sir  - is his quick reply. One only then please.)

He takes three photos of me at the top of the col with the steel bike in the background and the col signs and memorials.

 I wander through the ‘souvenir shop ‘ for a look and then with jacket on its out the door and down.  I meet the others still ascending in La Mongie and tell them i’m heading for crepes and coffee.

I still into the solo ride so after 4 sugar crepes wrapped around my banana and two expresso’s I’m on my way again.

Descending has it’s own dangers - besides going from bright sun to shady forest there are always the cars passing other  cars and cyclists to watch for - as courtesy as every one is you still have to keep your eyes open.

Before the crepes a possession of exotic cars passing others on my side keeps me close to my side of the road - was that a yellow Mclaren leading them , or just a old Ferrari.

Down in the valley it is a right turn back to rds the Aspin. Easy gradients lead to the turnoff to the Hourquette d’Ancizan.  This is a delightful climb through open grassland scattered with camper vans , cows, horses and donkeys. Many on the road so I pat a couple of little baby donkeys on the head as i pass upwards.

the camper vans only inhabit the lower section but the open meadows lead all the way to the top. Easy delightful climbing - although I do wonder if the low gears are going to need changing when we get home - they are getting a awful amount of work.

Descending the Hourquette d’Ancizan has the sunlight / shade problem . Dropping fast from the sun into a shady corner - it’s really hard to see the road and how sharp it turns, but no mistakes nd I’m soon at the bottom and heading up the flat valley to home.

Still some action in the legs so I drop onto the aero position on the bars - hands pushed out in front with elbows on the bars and time trial home
2.50 in town  ( I had guessed at 3.00 when i left the bottom of the Tourmalet)

The other shad a more cruisey day and a long lunch and then a beer on arrival in town sees them arrive 2.30hrs behind me ( I had begun to wonder if they had a problem) but the beer has JR all jumpy and I’m lucky to survive the first contact.


Col du Tourmalet
73 ascensions in the tour
Length 17.2km
Gain 1268m
Average 7.4%  Max 10%