Yes - Aosta Italy - staying in the .. . .. . .. .. hotel.
Breakfast done with a small roll - bread and cheese tucked into the back pocket and out on the road at 0830. Are the tires hard ? Well they are going to be hard enough because there is no big ground pump to take them at the preferred 115pds. Well whatever is the pressure - it will do.
A few flat pedal strokes around a roundabout and then uphill - ahead lies 1878 meters of climbing over 32 kms at a average 5.9%.
The Grand Saint Bernard climbs through farmland to start - through several small towns before turning dramatically and heading up a 10% incline. It got my attention a little.
But back soon enough to around 6% and steady climbing. A small town and highway signs marks the start of the impressive tunnel system that is the route back through into Switzerland. Of course I have to turn onto a small road (the original that must have been interesting for trucks) In the shade for a while and then forest with the tunnel system above.
Just as it crosses under the old road a group of open Lotus’s go past - playing chase over the mtn passes and now I see across the valley the zig zags that lead to the col. I hear those cars racing for the next few minutes and then the silence is only broken by the passing moto’s (motor bikes) and of course my breathing.
The long zig zags are conquered soon enough but it is not the top - In fact it is still some kms away but at least in sight. In the distance another rider. A little effort brings me quickly onto the wheel of the rider I had seen yesterday. He is also doing a ‘around the mtn’ ride on a classic ‘Gitane’ with shinny 32 spoke wheels. We chat for a minute in Frongley but his pace is a bit slow and I move on. ‘See you at the cafe on top for coffee.’ Not sure he understood.
The top has two hugh buildings - 4 stories tall - houses / hospice for the Saint Bernard Monks which make a narrow gap on the broad saddle.
But I’m looking for a coffee shop with a view, but the cold wind dictates a inside small room instead.
The french cyclist joins eventually and we chat - sort of, and go to leave together, but he says he goes downhill slow so I say bye - au revoir - and point down A few curves and twists before the road is joined by the tunnel traffic and we enter a avalanche snow tunnel. Sort of open on one side but still a bit dark. It lasts for about 5 kms or more. At 5 - 6 degrees downhill - fast but the dim light means that I watch the brakes every now and then. The outside world of the upper valley is non existent. Finally pop out into the sun and glance behind but the col is just a distant memory now.
Ahead the road continues at the same gradient - I haven’t tuned the pedals over and i’ve gone 15kms. No braking outside the tunnel and the kms quickly tick over - 44kms to Martigny - but at this rate I’ll be there shortly.
I stop briefly to check directions but the postal lady assures me - down to the t-intersection and turn left to Martigny. More free wheeling down and soon I reach the left turn. Now I have to pedal and am facing a strong wind in this section, but it still descends. Just a little tired now after the morning effort and when I hit the outskirts of Martigny and the roundabout that takes me to col de la Forclaz
lunch is declared. A roadside rock serves as a good chair and a gel, a bar, another bar, the sandwich from breakfast, some water, and refueled Im good to go.
Behind is 1998meters - in old terms - that i s just under 6,000 feet) of downhill over 44kms.
Ahead lies the col de la Forclaz but I have no idea how far it is, the gradient or anything and there are no roadside markers to assist, so I assume the 20km hill climb pace as I climb up through the steep hill sides covered in grapes. Above the forest closes in on the road and I am in a world of my own when another cyclist pulls up beside and bon jour. Company - I click up a gear and match the cadence. He is from town and just up the hill for his daily.
Soon with company the col appears (he has kept me informed of the distance - it was 16kms in total) We pass thanks for the company and he turns and disappears.
2nd col for the day, just two more to go and a climb up to Saint Gervais. Cole de Montets - is just a bump really and Chamonix beckons. I roll straight into town about 40 mins after crossing Forclaz with rain threatening. Inside a coffee shop on the main ‘square’ and the thunderstorm lets loose. It’s a tiny cafe. I sit at the bar with the locals and I’m teased in english about being to soft to ride in the rain, and enjoy a warm half hour topping up the fuel levels - coffee, smoothie and tart.
As the rain eases I make a dash for home but only a minute down the road it thunders down and i seek refuge under a overhang of a old building. Ahead is bright sun and behind - it’s to wet to look.
The storm pauses briefly and I gamble on the sun ahead. Sure enough - just two kms down the road I ride out onto dry roads, but behind is as black as and the rain must still be pounding down.
Through Les Houches and start to climb up towards the small settlement of Vaudagne when a young boy on a leftie Cannodale comes up fast behind. Can’t be passed by a mtn bike so we ride together up (quickly - he seems to be in full training mode) nd then down a closed - repairs being done - road through Vaudagne across the highway and quickly to Servoz. We shake hands and he peels off for home. But he has given energy to the last part of the ride and i continue pushing over some bumps down through Sevoz, across the valley to La fayet and up the last 4kms to Saint Gervais.
3,229 meters of climbing and about 175kms today.
Makes a total of 6,058 meters of climbing and 355kms approx of distance over the three days,
The figures from day 3
Col de Grand Saint Bernard (2469m) from Aosta.
32km and elevation gain of 1878 meters. 5.9%
44kms meters descending to Martigny
Martigny (471m) - Col de la Forclaz ascent is 16 km long. Over this distance, you climb 1050 height meters. The average percentage thus is 6.6 %
Col de la Forclaz to Saint Gervais 50kms with a little climb thrown in from Les Houches to vaudagne - just for good measure
So lets see - 1878m up Col Grd Saint Bernard 32kms
1050 meters up Col de la Forclaz 16kms
300meters up and 4kms up to Saint Gervais
3,229 meters of climbing and about 175kms
Another easy day in the saddle
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