Wednesday, July 9, 2008

La Route des Grandes Alpes Day 14: La Chambre to Faverges (Frontenex)

86.4 km total
Col de la Madeleine 2,000m
Collet de Tamié 960m
Col de Tamié 907m

It had been way easier to get an idea of what we were up for on the RGA road going south than on our homemade route back to Genève.

Up until this point we had survived very well. However, the feedback we had read regarding the climb up to Col de la Madeleine had us prepared for the toughest ride. Maybe that was the reason why we made it to the top with this feeling of ease and had even beaten 2 more Dutch cyclists.

On this climb, our support team had once again delivered excellent work. As we were cycling up through Longchamp (1,650m), a number of cyclists crossed us on their way down. Immediately, one of them slowed down and came back up from behind us with the message that he had been informed about our arrival. As encouragement, he added that the road would get less steep after the village. What a service and what an organization!

The first part of the downhill from Madeleine was fast but as the road gradually became smaller and less well surfaced, our speed dropped dramatically. We reached the Isère valley swiftly though and progressed well towards Albertville. Here we wanted to avoid the busy road over Ugine to Faverges, even if most of it benefits from a nice separate cycling lane.

We were here to climb up and go down again so we had to do the Collet and the Col de Tamié. These were not very high in altitude but in the heat and after the efforts already made, not a simple piece of cake. In the descent, Katy saw the support car parked along the side of the road. Who says a stoker cannot see anything in the front? The last Chambres d’hôtes awaited us.

The one thing we hadn’t eaten yet on this trip was Tartiflette. Guess what was on the menu that evening. Yes, in Tartiflette we trust (as taken from the inscription on the T-shirt of one of the friendly employees in the YH back in Séez).

Tomorrow... la Grande Finale.

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