Haute Route Alps 2013 - Course Profile

Good to keep track of these courses as they change each year.

Top three Cols this time round:

Stage 3 - combo of all three Cols were amazing:
Col de l'Iseran (2770m) with views of Mont Blanc (always happy to see snow covered peaks), Col du Mont Cenis (2083m), and Col de l'Echelle up a narrow twisty road with switchbacks and overhangs (1762m)

The wickedly cold descent hitting -1C, Canada Cold! - photo hauteroute.com

Just beautiful scenery, cold but super awesome! - photo hauteroute.com

Riding through the fog fast was scary - photo hauteroute.com

Scenery, fun fast descents - photo hauteroute.com

Stage 5 - Jausiers to Cime de la Bonette, the 23.5 km individual time trial course

Nice grading for 10 km, steep for the next 5 km though twisty switchback road which makes it entertaining, amazing views the whole way, nice grading the next 7 km until the stupendously steep 1 km to the finish which just crawls along. The winds were with us and not gale-force like I remember in 2011.

working hard on the last 1 km

Stage 7 - Col du Vence (862m), 39 km timed race section
Thumbs up as it was similar to real road race pace, hard effort, chasing, pelotons, pace-lines!

My viewpoint may be abit skewed as I was physically messed up Days 1 to 3! and climbing was un-normally painful, so the latter days stand out more in my memory.

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