Lap of Lake Geneva cyclosportive

Sunday saw my first sportive of the Summer with a mega early (4am) start for the drive from Chamonix to Lausanne Switzerland for a 6.30am start line for the lap of Lake Geneva.

It's a fantastic event with a distance of 180kms on an undulating course and spectacular scenery by the lake shore. Passing through Montreaux, over the border into France and through Evian, Thonon, then back into Switzerland and through Geneva for the final leg back to Lausanne.

With 1500 on the start line our group managed to start in the fifth peleton (groups of approx 70) and the group were immediately working well. After 15 minutes the group behind us came screaming past on TT bikes. This is a first for me seeing TT bikes and aero helmets in a cyclosportive! Is this normal??!!?? A few of us attempted to hang on but with my heart rate maxing out it was time to back off. One of our guys Neil McNab managed to hang on to within 20kms of the finish line and finished 10 minutes before us.

One of the problems with a Polar computer is the Swiss Rail overhead lines interfere with it. I knew something was wrong when it said my heartbeat was at 220 and I was doing 150 km/h !

After re-grouping with 3 of us from Team Chamonix staying together, our group was working steadily with some strong riders and about 15 of us taking turns on the front. We started to reel in the groups that had started before us and we were averaging nearly 40kms an hour. Initially I was thinking this was too fast for me with the overall distance but I was feeling great and continued to take turns on the front and staying in the first 15. It was soon apparent that no-one was intending stopping at the feed stations so it was rationing drinks and relying on 5 gels.

Over the cobbles through Thonon and onto a short climb before crossing back over the border and a manic late morning blast through Geneva however the organisation was great and the motorbike outriders did a great job.

The last leg down to Lausanne had a few small climbs and in the last 10kms I was starting to suffer, however managed to hang on the back and finishing in 138th position out of 1500 in 4 hrs 35 mins.

Happy with that as I'd targeted 5 hours.

Eyes down now for the Time Megeve on June 12th - entries still open and we have space in the Chalet This is another great event going over the Colombiere, Croix Fry, Aravis and the Saisies - all regulally featured in the Tour de France.

Think this will be a grudge match for Team Chamonix as there is some serious col training and suggested times being banded about!

Training Begins!

Okay, its been a while! Ski guests wanted to visit Annecy this week so managed two laps of the lake (80kms) to kick start the training regime. Another 3 weeks of Winter guests in the Chalet and can then turn attentions to the Summer. Ebntry accepted for the Marmotte and the Etape, and first event likely to be the Time Megeve Cyclosportive - still space on our Time Megeve weekend! This Year the event starts in Sallanches rather than Megeve, taking in the Col de la Colombiere used in the Tour de France the last 2 years.

Lanzarote in 5 weeks for some cycling, sun and recovery from the manic Winter, and back here in Mid May when the mountain passes should start to open.

Aiming for some Marmotte/Etape reconnaissance before the Time Megeve.

11 days in Provence and the slowest ascent of Mt Ventoux?

Just back from a fantastic 11 days based in the Mt Ventoux region with Ridestrong bike tours helping guide one of their bespoke groups. Fantastic area with quiet roads at this time of year. The Mistral was blowing through which made Ventoux challenging for the guests and ice had formed on the top masts. Definately intend a revisit early next Spring for some pre etape training!

Col de Joux Plane

Famous for Floyd Landis' superb enhanced performance in the Tour de France, well, it was the complete opposite for me yesterday! Bonking 3/4 of the way up it was not my best day on the bike this year - not quite sure what went wrong as I'd eaten but you live and learn! At least the views over to the Mont Blanc massif were as spectacular as ever!

Dropping down to Morzine which is already a ghost town compared to Chamonix. I think their Summer season must have ended at the start of September whilst in Chamonix town is still fairly busy with visitors.

Next week its off to Mont Ventoux region with Ridestrong Biketours for 10 days. Looking forward to getting onto Ventoux and hopefully the weather will be a bit warmer down there!

Tour du Mont Blanc

Great weather returned this week and on Wednesday I finished my last section of the cyclists Tour du Mont Blanc to complete the circuit of Western Europe's highest peak. This involved a 90KM, 2200M of climbing. Down from Megeve through Flumet and then over the northern side of the Col de Saisies via Crest Voland. Once over the top I descended down the southern side of the climb to Villard sur Doron and then ascended again to the top of the Saisies on the main road and finally descending towards Flumet via Notra Dame de Bellecote. There are four routes over this climb and the ride covered all of them. Next time I'd climb back over on the Villard su Doron route and this road is much quieter and on a hot day is shaded most of the way up.

All eyes are now on the Houch'hard climb on the 5th September which is our local race. There's also the small matter of launching our new bike tours website!

Col de la Colombiere race

Super cold in the Alps today with snow, yep SNOW above 2000m and its only August! Come on - whats a happening with the weather?

Early start today for the mass start race up the Col de la Colombiere from the Grand Bornand side - opposite side to the Tour de France race route this year. This is a series of races up cols at this time of year on consecutive weekends - all well organised by local cycling clubs.

8 degrees c at the 9.00 start and straight into the climb. This side of the Col is much easier than the Cluses side but it still manages to climb 650M in just over 12 km.

Trouble with these kind of races is that even with a good warm up I always start too fast, fade, then get into a good rhythm half way up. Note to self - start slower!

I'd aimed for under 45 mins and crossed the line in 42 mins 20 something so happy with that. The superhuman winner did it in just under 30 Mins.

Descending back into Le Grand Bo its freezing and the recovery ride is binned for the day!

Back in Chamonix we have rain, more rain , some thunder and rain! Summer should be back tomorrow fingers crossed!

Col de Grand St Bernard

3 Countries, 155km, 3200M of climbing and saddle sores!

Just after 8 am from Chalet Annabelle a bit later than planned but the sun is just trying to show itself over the Chamonix Aiguilles. Its a chilly start for this first half of the Cyclists Tour of Mont Blanc, and the steady ride up through the Chamonix Valley (1050M altitude) to Argentiere and by 9am I'm over the first climb of the day, the Col de Montets (1461M). Arm warmers and gilete for the descent and 10 minutes later I'm over the border and in my second country of the day, Switzerland.

It's a steady climb after the border over the Col de Forclaz (1530M) and then the 65KM an hour descent all the way down to 470M altitude to the town of Martigny and it's only 10am!

From here it's he true start of the Grand St Bernard pass. It's definitely not the steepest pass in the Alps by any means, but the length of it certainly takes it's toll which gives it a HC catergory status. It's over 40KM from Martigny to the Summit at over 2400M and gets really interesting when the Grand St Bernard Tunnel road cuts off and 6km from the summit the road turns to virtually single track for the final climb. You'd recognise this part of the climb from the original Italian job where the coach ends up hanging over the edge at the end of the film. Its also supposed to be where Hannibal took his elephants over the Alps.

Thankfully today the temperatures are only in the mid 20's and after a mammoth 3 hours from Martigny I'm finally over the summit. Definitely the longest 40Km of my life. I'm now in my third country of the day, Italy.

From here its a dizzy descent on smooth tarmac for around 10km's before joining the main road and descending another 30+KM into the Aosta valley. The final section for today is the 35KM ride up through the Aosta valley to the Spa town of Pre St Didier. This is rolling for the last hour or so and is a great way to end the day.

Pre ST D is the start of the Petit St Bernard pass - more on that one soon!

So back to Chalet Annabelle through the Mont Blanc tunnel with Jude taxi.

Reflecting on the day, its great to cycle through 3 countries, and with around 100 Miles in the bag its a great day out. This took me about 7 hours actual cycling.

Etape du Tour 2011 or the Marmotte ?

When we moved to Chamonix in the heart of the French Alps in 2007 it was an opportunity to get back on the road bike after an absence from racing of around 20 years. However it wasn't until 12 months ago that I finally competed in my first race, a local time trial up through Vaudagne, a 6km climb. The buzz of competing was back and the target is now to enter the Etape in 2011, or the Marmotte 2011, or maybe both!

My wife Jude and I moved to Chamonix escaping the corporate world and started our own Chalet Business focusing on winter sports and in the Summer months, cycling, and climbing Mont Blanc.

During 2010 I've completed the Time Megeve cyclosportive and also the Morzine event and looking forward to the race up the Col de la Colombiere next weekend.

In 2010 we teamed up with Julie Gildred at Ridestrong Bike Tours and ran a super successful cycling week from Chalet Annabelle seeing 3 stages of the Tour de France and taking on some classic Tour de France alpine climbs which are a short drive from Chalet Annabelle including the Col de la Ramaz, Avoriaz, Col de la Colombiere, Col des Aravis, Col de Petit St Bernard and the Cormet de Roseland.

So the plan for 2011! The Etape hasn't been in the Alps for around 5 years and the rumor mill has already started that the Etape will be ending in Alp D'Huez next year or somewhere else in the Alps. This makes sense as it will be 100 years since the Tour de France visited the Alps, and it even visited Chamonix in the race of 2011.

Over the coming weeks and months I'll post a snapshot of the rides we've been doing in the area and further a-field as I try to build up the training required for the event.

Watch this space!