Day 5 Lanslebourg Val Cenis -> Briancon

Sept 13th  Day 5   

Lanslebourg Val Cenis -> Briancon (Val des Pres)    138.8km
Time: 7:08:22     2,836m

Leaving Lanslebourg the road descends constantly for 40kms as we drop to the bottom of the Telegraph - thats right 40kms descending at up to 60kms hr. Although most of the descending was more like 3okms hr with some peddling - but the kms fall quickly away.

A local rider catch us near Saint-Michel-de-Maurienne and we hook up with big smiles. Suddenly we are there - the bottom of the ascent of the Telegraph. A stop at the bottom to remove clothing and stuff them in the back pocket which is now bulging.

The Col du Telegraph is really part of the complete climb of the Galbier. It’s more than 7% for most of the 12kms, and there is no real respite until you get close to the top. Brandi, Chris and myself climb together.  At times Chris is ahead but a couple of slingshots brings Brandi back up and then it is her that is setting the pace and finally takes the col to raise her hand in triumph.

I pop back down a couple clicks to give John some company for the last part of the climb. It’s actually quite busy with a large group of Dutch riders and a 4 rather overweight South African’s (turns out they have won a all expenses paid trip to ride on the tour de france cols by competing in a draw during the tour de france. Air France has paid for 4 of them to come over and ride. Guess they might go home a few pound slighter but maybe not as they begin the carbo loading immediately and a couple beers slip down while we exchange All Black and Springbok banter in the cafe)

The high wild country of the Col du Galibier beckons and after our apple tart and short black we decend through Valloire and begin the mythical passage of the Tour of France. At 2645m the pass is the passage between the northern and southern alps. (the TDF has used it 53 times and many reputations have been won and lost)

Leaving Valloire the road immediately climbs into double figures accentuated by a block head wind. I stay with John to provide some cover but this skinny little white boy can provide not much wind shelter - only more encouragement.  It’s long steady climb climb with gradients around 7-8% of most. The head wind doesn’t help. At the right hand zag at Plan Lachat I leave John as he takes a break to refresh from our trusty support vehicle (Agnes at the wheel) and head out in search of the other two. It is a hard 7kms chase through the upper valleys passing again the dutch riders who escaped john and myself after Valloire.

Finally in the distance one of our tribe appears but it is not until 1km from the top that I can pull up alongside. You all good i’m asked ?  - but it is another couple hundred meters before there is any spare breath to answer with any words. Of course the last km is one of the hardest and when I pick up John for company again we are entertained by an English women who is stopping every km for a short rest before going the top

The col is cold but everyone takes their turn to snap a pic with the sign and Kiwi riders mix with English and Dutch and moto riders from countries unknown, before we drop down to the resturant a km below the summit on the Briancon side for coffee and tart.

The other three have scoffed omelets and coffee before John and I arrive.

Clothes on for the descent to Col du Lautaret. I’m riding with Brandi - giving riding speed for the corners when whoosh, whoosh, whoosh  - three English riders whizz past. The invitation is too great and without a word I go into full attack mode.  Can’t let them english folks away with that.  Its a hard chase down bumpy steeply descending Galbier - but one of the riders is quite close and its up accelerating hard out of each corner - braking late and hard accelerating again - up off the seat pounding hard downhill - the speeds  - I’m not sure its too bumpy and to much happening to look but picking between corners we are up over 6okms hr.

The last hairpin I accelerate out of on the wrong side and pull alongside and glance over.  A huge smile breaks over his face and i beam back. A half km later we break and burble to each other over ho much fun we just had.

The other soon join us on the col and we are off towards Briancon. John and Chris rip say down the wide open roads while Brandi and I descend a little more slowly. A shivering attack slows her for minute but the temp is increasing rapidly and the warmer air sees us stripping clothing. Its 41kms from the col to Briancon and 1348m of decending

In total we have had 80km and 1978m of descending during the day. A small  matter of the Galbier (34kms of ascending in between)

We arrive at the Mountain Cycle shop of Jacques (well known in Queenstown - he works at Outside Sports during hs winter) and the bike are serviced by Jacque personally before we climb out of town into the Val de Pres and our sray for the night with our hosts. Lauren and Jacque with daughters Chloe and Salamie in their house (built before NZ was discovered)


Riders for those who don’t know are John Green (Inv) Chris Yeats (West Coast) and Brandi Beauvais (ex Steamboat Colorado)

PS All photos so far are on flickr