Tour de France Galibier 2006 -2

For reasons unknown, the Col du Télégraphe is considered to be an easy climb. Compared to the Galibier, I suppose it is. But then, compared to the Galibier, everything is easy.

The Col du Télégraphe is a tunnel of trees, from bottom to top, with no views or vistas to enjoy or distract. It's nose-to-the-grindstone all the way to the top, always keeping in mind what's to come. By now, you will have butterflies in your stomach or a sense of dread, depending if you have followed the advice and achieved your goals, or not.

Goal 3 is to get up the Col du Télégraphe without incident, or, preferably, even breaking into a sweat. Keep your powder dry.

Goal 4 is to reach the top of the Galibier, somehow, without walking, or dying, or converting to religion or all of the above. 

Heading up the hill out of Vallorie is exhilarating; you have made it onto one of the greatest mountain climbs in the world. You have every reason to feel this is a monumental day, something to remember forever. Hold that thought.

There could be a million things on your mind as you start climbing the Col du Galibier. 
Your upcoming marriage, your recent or imminent divorce, or the birth of your first child. The boss you hate or the job you love.
These essential considerations will ultimately be reduced to a single concern. Getting to the top of this climb. If you can still remember your own name by the time you crest the summit, consider going pro.

Click the pictures for more.Coming into view on the road at the bottom of the picture, you could be forgiven for thinking maybe the Galibier isn’t so bad, well into the climb, and apart from the initial ramp out of Valloire, nothing has really tested you. All that training must have been more effective than you thought. You might even consider a coffee or an ice cream at the very attractive little cafe by the side of the road.

That is all about to change, crossing the bridge over the stream and the Galibier turns from being kind and gentle to anything but, with just a few pedal strokes. Unless you’re super fit and have brought your A-game with you by the time you are halfway up that first serious 10% ramp, all the training will have melted away like ice cream in the midday sun.What’s left is determination, grit, stubbornness, and pride. 
Any two get you to the top, or at least the fork in the road leading to the tunnel. After that, it’s just pride. There’s no shade or shelter on the Galibier, barely a tree in sight, nowhere to hide or recover, no let-up to the relentless gradient. But if you insist on visiting the home of the cycling gods, you can’t expect it to be easy, can you?

As John F. Kennedy said, “We don’t do it because it’s easy. We do it because it’s hard”.Climbing the Col du Galibier from the North in something like an hour and a half would be considered reasonable. Warren Barguil topped the Strava leaderboard when he went up the Galibier during the 2017 Tour de France like a steam train in a little over 48 minutes.

Humbling. I have witnessed greatness. Romain Bardet and others have improved that by a couple of minutes since.

Not everyone needs to be on top of the Strava leaderboard. There’s a different, often very personal reason to climb this iconic road for everyone. Sometimes there’s no reason at all, but with over 16 kilometres of climbing done, the altitude kicks in with a vengeance. Just being there is justification enough.

Most big climbs start in the valley and wind up the mountain, eventually clearing the treeline and finishing on the mountain top. The Galibier starts at the treeline and goes up from there. It’s the undisputed king of the French cols. Its scale is vast. With the exception of the Col de I'Iseran, it dwarfs even the most imposing of high mountain passes elsewhere in Europe. Home of the Gods of Cycling. 

As well as being one of the highest roads in the French Alps, the Col du Galibier is also a natural amphitheatre. Suitable for tens of thousands of cycling fans and the gods of cycling themselves to watch their heroes fight out the battle of Le Tour on the world's most spectacular stage.

The Tour comes to town.

The helicopters are low overhead, swooping down across the bends of the mountain road. The lead rider is maybe a minute clear, but holding his own and climbing this mountain like it isn't there. The crowd roars, you roar, everyone roars him upwards. His ride is your ride. His success is your success. We recognise his commitment, his belief, and raise it.The top and high point of the Tour de France, L'Étape 2006. 

Col du Galibier collection

The descent off the Galibier

The summit is reached, and the descent awaits 
12.8 kilometres of hair-raising top speed descending with an average gradient of 7.5% and a maximum of 13.5%.

Buckle up, Part 3: Descent off the Galibier