The Port de la Bonaigua |
Day 1
SUN July 18 › Bienvenidos en Espana!
Our
trip starts at Toulouse airport where our staff will be there
to welcome you before the short transfer to our hotel in Vielha just over the border in Spain.
After lunch in the hotel we'll have our orientation meeting, build up the bikes then it's time for our first ride: a 30 mile warm-up ride up to the 2000m Port de la Bonaigua!
Today's Ride Summary: 30 miles / 3,550 ft elev. gain
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Today's Major Climbs: |
|
Climb |
Elev. Gain (feet)
|
Average Grade |
Length
(miles) |
Profile
(m/km) |
Difficulty
Index |
Port de la Bonaigua
|
3,615 ft |
4.8% |
14.3 miles |
|
82 |
|
| |
Look out for our Blue Orbea Tents near the summit |
Day 2
MON July 19 › Port de Bales
Our vantage point with Orbea-sponsored marquis tents will be situated on a prime spot close to the summit of the HC climb to the PORT DE BALES.
Form the hotel in Vielha, we'll climb over the super-steep Col d'Artigaux before dropping down to the valley to Mauleon-Barousse where we start the final climb up to the Port de Bales.
Have a cool drink, picnic lunch and then enjoy an exciting afternoon including LIVE Satelite TV coverage in English!
Today's Ride Summary: 90 miles / 9,900 ft elev. gain
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|
Today's Major Climbs: |
|
Climb |
Elev. Gain (feet)
|
Average Grade |
Length
(miles) |
Profile
(m/km) |
Difficulty
Index |
Col d'Artigaux
|
2,730 ft |
8.6% |
6.0 miles |
|
122 |
Port de Bales |
3,888 ft |
6.3% |
11.7 miles |
|
130 |
Col de Portillon |
2,175 ft |
6.5% |
6.3 miles |
|
95 |
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Descending Superbagneres in 2007.
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Day 3
TUE July 20 › Luchon & Superbagneres option
Luchon is the host town for the start today and we'll head over there in the early morning to witness the teams get ready for a big day in the Pyrenees.
For those who feel up for an extra climb, follow our ride leader up to Superbagneres where Greg Lemond crushed Bernard Hinault in 1986. The climb starts and finishes in Luchon.
From Luchon we head west over the Col de Peyresourde and Col d'Azet before dropping down to our hotel in St Lary Soulan.
Today's Ride Summary: 70 miles / 10,350 ft elev. gain
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Today's Major Climbs: |
|
Climb |
Elev. Gain (feet)
|
Average Grade |
Length
(miles) |
Profile
(m/km) |
Difficulty
Index |
Col de Portillon
|
1,913 ft |
6.8% |
5.3 miles |
|
68 |
Superbagneres
|
3,839 ft |
6.3% |
11.5 miles |
|
126 |
Col de Peyresourde
|
3,081 ft |
6.1% |
9.5 miles |
|
96 |
Col d'Azet - Val Louron
|
2,034 ft |
8.3% |
4.7 miles |
|
92 |
|
| |
Switchbacks on Luz-Ardiden |
Day 4
WED July 21 ›The TBT Deathride!
An Extreme trip requirement! With 120 miles and almost 15,000 ft of climbing today's ride definitely satisfies our deathride criteria.
The ride starts with the Col d'Aspin, arguably the most picturesque climb in the Pyrenees. From the Aspin it's straight on to the Tourmalet. Down the Tourmalet and into the small town of Luz St Sauveur and the start of the climb to Luz-Ardiden where Lance caught his handelbars on a spectators handbag and crashed in 2003. Back around the Pyrenees foothills on a spectacular single-track road before climbing to Hourquette d'Ancizan, our final climb of the day. Enjoy!
Today's Ride Summary: 120 miles/14,550 ft elev. gain
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|
Today's Major Climbs: |
|
Climb |
Elev. Gain (feet)
|
Average Grade |
Length
(miles) |
Profile
(m/km) |
Difficulty
Index |
Col d'Aspin |
2,555 ft |
6.5% |
7.5 miles |
|
81 |
Col du Tourmalet |
4,160 ft |
7.4% |
10.7 miles |
|
133 |
Luz-Ardiden |
3,314 ft |
6.9% |
9.1 miles |
|
111 |
Hourquette d'Ancizan |
2,966 ft |
4.0% |
14.0 miles |
|
78 |
|
| |
Keeping up with the action on our LIVE TV coverage |
Day 5
THU July 22 › The Tourmalet
Our vantage point teams will have staked out a top spot close to the summit of the Tourmalet so we can enjoy an exciting afternoon with LIVE satellite TV coverage in English.
We expect huge crowds and the Tourmalet will no doubt be closed to cyclists very early so we'll take the vans over to Argeles-Gazost and leave on the bikes from there. A short ride up the valley to Luz St Sauveur and we'll be climbing Tourmalet with 1000's of fellow cyclists.
Watch out for the blue & white Orbea tents that signal our vantage point some 10 miles later, close to the summit!
Today's Ride Summary: 80 miles / 6,850 ft elev. gain
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|
Today's Major Climbs: |
|
Climb |
Elev. Gain (feet)
|
Average Grade |
Length
(miles) |
Profile
(m/km) |
Difficulty
Index |
Col du Tourmalet |
4,606 ft |
7.4% |
11.8 miles |
|
138 |
|
| |
On the Col d'Aubisque |
Day 6
FRI July 23 ›
Aubisque & the Basque Region
Our final ride and we've decided to take you into the Basque region for a spectacular day of riding. From our hotel we'll climb up to the Col de Soulour before heading north into the Pyrenees foothills. The road brings us into the Basque region and over the Col d'Ichere then the challenging Col de Marie-Blanque with it's 11 and 12% average grades over the final 3km.
From the Marie-Blanque we ride south to Laruns where we start one of our favourite cols in the Pyrenees, the HC Col d'Aubisque.
Today's Ride Summary: 105 miles/11,100 ft elev. gain
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Today's Major Climbs: |
|
Climb |
Elev. Gain (feet)
|
Average Grade |
Length
(miles) |
Profile
(m/km) |
Difficulty
Index |
Col de Soulor |
2,005 ft |
5.8% |
6.5 miles |
|
75 |
Col d'Ichere |
1,066 ft |
6.1% |
3.3 miles |
|
63 |
Col de Marie Blanque |
2,346 ft |
7.5% |
5.9 miles |
|
96 |
Col d'Aubisque |
3,904 ft |
7.2% |
10.3 miles |
|
120 |
|
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Day 7
SAT July 24 › Au revoir
End of our trip and final transfer to Toulouse
airport. |
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