I entered the year 2010 after 17 years of bicycling abroad (and in Hungary) and after the 132 occassion of cycling above 2000m. Collecting the roads above 2000m by bicycling that I lifted for a more serious level in 2004 arrived at the last phase. In spring basically I was thinking about an alpine bicycletour, when – at the start of the year 2010 - an acquaintance of mine wrote me an e-mail wether I’m interested in joining them to their Pyreneen bicycletour. Not everything was clear so – by unlucky situation - I had to count with the thing that there wouldn’t be a place for me in the car, but without the unlucky situatuion, so by normal occassion it was an attractive / tempting idea:
Travelling together in a car it is much more cheaper than flying by air (and travelling by train)
While I had freedom to cycle my tour and cycle with them when I want, it seemed that I could collect the remaining 10-11 paved roads above 2000m by bicycle that I hadn’t cycled in 2007.
Although when we cycle only the ca. Half of the tour together it’s more pleasant to cycle in a group with friendly bicycletourers than alone.
And at last, the most sweet thing: accidentally in that period for when the guys planned the tour, the Tour de France cycled there: it seemed that we could meet the racers, the caravan 3 times without causing delay in our bicycletour.
Meantime for the start of that bicycletour I planned the challenge of cycling the Mount Ventoux 4 times in a day and reach the Galerien level of the Club des Cinglés du Mt Ventoux, which is officially 188km + 6052 m heightdifference.
Last year I cycled the La Marmotte + an extra (totally 200km + 5316 m) without any problem by my touring bike and I experienced: I would be able to cycle more than this; the next step was 6000m by my tournig bike. Without the direct thought of them 2 bicyclist guy motivated me: one of them with his sentences disdaining those bicycletourers who take photos, films and calm eating stops during his tour and not only cycle without much stop. I thought I will show him too that he has no reason to disdain cyclists with the way of bicycling I explained above because I could cycle 6000m heightdifference in a day that he didn’t cycled by his light, 9-10kg weighted bicycle. The bicycletourers could be so strong than those cyclings who has no experience with cycling with heavy package, panniers.
For the end of May I finished my plan starting with flying by air to Nice than the attempt on Mont Ventoux then the French and spanish Pyrenees. Based on the plan after crossing the border, the days seemed to be harder than on the french side. Most of the roads above 2000m waited me on the spanish side. The last 3 days seemed to be the hardest ones: 180-200km long days (with or without heavy pack) with 2200-3100m heightdifference. I knew that although it would be hard I would be motivated to have all of the paved roads above 20000m in the Pyrenées. I knew that I couldn’t get delay while it would mean having not enough time for one climb above 2000m.
2 weeks before the start because a vis maior situation of one of the tour participans they told me that maybe they wouldn’t be able to cycle in the Pyrenees and 1 weeks later it became sure. His friends felt solidarity with him, but I (only an acquaintance of him) felt so motivation and enthusiasm so I didn’t changed much my plan and decided to cycle alone and to finish the tour not in Ax les Thermes but by the Barcelona airport.
Introduction:
By a few occassions in the last year I experienced that not spoken rivalry was born in Hungary between the bicycletourers. As I think with my tours and with the difficulty of my tours I showed something noticable in the cycloclimbing I felt motivation to answer to the others who started to compete with me: I wanted to clear the situation about the performances by bicycletouring and cycloclimbing.
I’m not a typ of racer or competitor during my tours and also in my life, but when somebody start to compete with me or wanted to overcame me, I’m not the one who simply let it. I like to compete with correct conditions and comparison. With my 3 week long tour (with its result) and with one day long tour (with the challenge of the Galerien verion of Club des Cinglés du Mt Ventoux) my plan was to achieve such thing that not too many cyclist can claim.
I know that more cyclists would be able to cycle 4 times the Ventoux (1 of them on gravel), but it’s true that the more than 6000m heightdifference is above the level of normal / classic granfondos, cyclosportives (La Marmotte, Maratona dles Dolomites, Ötztaler radmarathon) bicyclemarathons have. After the Cinglées in 2008, in 2010 I planned to achieve the Galerien version (188 kms + 6052m heightdiff officially) and broke my daily record (5316 m) by my touringbike.
13th July, 2010 – 1st day: Győr – TRAIN - Gramatneausiedl – Schwechat – AIRPLANE – Nizza – TRAIN - Avignon
By bicycle: ca. 30 km + 100 m heightdifference
From the start of the tour (from the airport of Nice): 10 km + 40 m heightdiff.
I travelled by an early train from Győr (Hungary) to Schwechat where I prepared my bicycle for the flight to Nice. Everything went well. THis time I had no fortune with the flight, while I hadn’t reserved a seat and got the seat in the middle of the 1st row. I had to wait much more time for my packs than before so I had to hurry very much to have chance to catch the planned train to Avignon. I couldn’t, but the next one was a TGV onto which I could get on with my bicycle with an extra fee of 10 EUR. After chnaging the train in Marseille I arrived at Avignon at 10 pm. In Avignon there was a festive, so the 1st camping was full, but I could find an other one with free place for me. I built up my tent and ate some food while listening to U2 music. There was a concert not far from the camping.
14th July, 2010 – 2nd day = Avignon – Carpentras – Bedoin = 69,11 km + 370 m heightdifference
From the start of the tour (from the airport of Nice): 79,11 km + 410 m
I had nice, calm morning with breakfast by the shore of the Rhone and with walking, looking around a little bit in Avignon. It was national holiday in France so I found few amateur exhibitionists in Avignon and a lot of guests, tourists.
I cycled towards Bedoin and the Mont Ventoux under clear blue sky and in very hot weather. After zigzagging a little bit in the village at last I entered the municipal camping which has an open-air swimming pool too, where I swam and enjoyed the sun for a few hours. I spent the last hours of the day with preparing for the next serious day: cycling up to the Mont Ventoux 4 times in a day.
15 July, 2010, – 3rd day = 4 times up to the Ventoux in a day: Bedoin (290 m) – partly gravel road – Mont Ventoux (1909 m) – Bedoin (290 m) – Chalet Reynard – Mont Ventoux (1909 m) – Malaucene (377 m) – Mont Ventoux (1909 m) – Sault (760 m) – Mont Ventoux (1909 m) – Bedoin, kemping = 191,11 km + 6126 m szint
I woke up at 5 am, few minutes before that time for my clock was set: maybe the excitement made me woke up. After the year of 20098, when I cycled the triple (Cinglés) version of the Club des Cinglés de Mont Ventoux in 2010 I prepared for the next level: the Galerien version with the 4 ascents of the famous summit and with more than 6000m heightdifference. By 1st of November, 2010 only the 10% of the 3870 members of the closed club succeeded in cycling the Galerien version. My plan, aim was to became the member of the elite of this club, of this 10% and with it to achieve the 6000m heightdifference, a new record for me – naturally by my 13,5 kg weighted touring bike.
This is a true challenge where you can’t travel by car between the ascents and collect the ascents by that way, there are no tricks. It depends on the legs and not about travelling or money. That’s why I love such challenges ! It doesn’t mean if one has higher salary and can afford more travelling, or live closer to the mountains, only one thing that counts……(or not eactly, while there are weight differences between the bikes.)
I was just to start when I realised that the fixing of the mudguard became too slack and it reached the back wheel; they grate against each other. I had to set it a few times for the time, when I could start. At the end of the calm village with morning quiet I had to stop again and try to set mudguard or the wheel. The day didn’t started well. The Sun hadn’t rose up when I started the 1st climb of the Mont Ventoux next the vine rows. The organiser of the challenge suggested to start early morning because of the summer heat. Turning in the 1st bend between the trees along the road, just opposite of the straight pavement I could see the TV tower of the summit.
It was great! The 9-10% steep kilometers started there. I turned onto the forestry road at the height of 780m, where the pavement changed for gravel road after a km. On the steep sections difficulty meant cycling on steep gravel road without standing out from the saddle to avoid slipping on the small gravels. Above 1350m the road ascended only very light, it was almost flat, but because of the poor quality of the road I couldn’t reached a good speed. After 2 kms I reached the paved road between malaucene and the summit. On that side I haven’t cycled by morning lights: this climb fascinated me, mainly when cycled above 1600m I could see the remaining kms with serpentines and above the TV tower. I cycled there being elated : wonderful panorama to North and to West!
After shopping gifts for me in the summit shop and taking photos and videofilm I rolled down to Bedoin 4-5 minutes long with videocamera in my hands and I recorded the feeling and the panorama. It was fantastic ! I love Mont Ventoux! After only 1km it was funny when ca. one hundred sheeps were jogging throught the road with a dof behind them. The cars and bikers had to wait them going away.
In the camping I took with me my food for the rest of the day (bread, can, energy bars, bananas and muesli barts.) and at 11 am ( more than 1 hour behind the planned time) I set out to cycle up the Ventoux second time on that day. The ascent is 22,7 kms long with 1622 heiughtdifference and 7,1% average steepness, but the first 5-6 kms is light enough, but after it…
I pushed the pedals on known and hot road. The woody section was boring and for long time 10% steep and hard. Because of the not enough food that I had eaten at ca. 1000m I felt not so comfortable and I started struggling. I had to take a stop and eat some food, banana, etc and when I reached the Chalet Reynard (ca. 1320 m) bought there energy bars too and spent enough time for sitting, feeling the rest and getting some energy.
The last 7,5 - 8 kms from there wasn’t a problem on such a legendary and panoramic road with a lot of cyclings there. Professional photographers waited for the cyclists at 3 places to take photos and selling them on the internet to the brave cyclists. I also bought one, which is more wonderful than the one 2 years ago. Because of the time that I spent (with eating and photo taking and film recording) during the 2nd climb, at the top I didn’t spend more than 10 minutes.
On the descent to Malaucene I met with a cyclist who – I think - wasn’t so experienced mountain-cyclist than me: I was faster in the bends and without any fear I reached 81 km/h speed and overcame him, but on not too steep sections he came in front of me. That annoyed me because he wasn’t a good descender, he only have bigger gears than my touring bike, so 1-2 kms after I started harrying and reaching him and on the last twisting kilometers overcame him again showing him: I’m here again
After the next controll stamps, and eating enough 2 kms after the Malaucene at a very good, woody park I had to face with the 3rd ascent of the Mont Ventoux that I called „stove” based on my experiences from the year 2008. I used a wet headscarf o my head and neck (under the helmet) against the hot weather (34 degrees Celsius). This year again the 4 kms long 10% steep part was hard without any shade. After 1-2 short stop and rest and little bit energy tanking, above 1600m I could enjoy cycling and the beautiful panorama, views again.
It was true pleasure-cycling. I didn’t felt any tiredness, but enjoyed the cycling and the landscape. I wanted to live through this day without any hurry and I did it such way not to forget it.
Before the the last descent (to Sault) I took some photos at the summit, because I knew that next time there will be darkness. By the Tom Simpson monument I could took heavenly photos with sunlights coming just from behind the TV tower. The descent – with rolling and riding the bike was ca. 1 hour long. Backwards the lower part of the ascent was light, not steep and very boring in the forest, where the heightdifference increases slower than on other ascent of the Ventoux. For a while a dog jogging behind or next to me hold my thoughts, later as I left him I counted where I would broke my last cycled heightdifference record (5316 m).
After a few kms fresh speed I could arrive at Chalet Reynard and out of the forest for 10 pm, so I just could see the summit by the last lights and could take a photo and record videofilm. After a little bit snack I went on cycling on the calm dark road towards the lighted TV Tower. On the bare mountainside I could see from far when a car came opposite of me, although it was 5 kms far away. The weather was very good, pleasant and I didn’t have any problem with the darkness, but it’s true that I could see the lights of the villages far down on the fields, hills.
By the Tom Simpson memorial I could take a good photo on which I cycled up. When I reached 4th times this day the top of the legendary, 1910m high Mont Ventoux I didn’t felt catharsis (that surprised me), „only” happyness and satisfaction. I thought why I didn’t feel catharsis and it is maybe because during the whole day I kept my hand on the challenge, on the achievement and I didn’t drive myself out totally. I didn’t have to struggle very much, I had only a short downturn.
At the top (at ca 11 pm.) I met with a holland pair with them I chatted a little bit about my day, the superb weather and about the wonderful views and I could also see a lot of stars in the sky. I enjoyed very much how far I could see lights of villages, towns and above there everything was quiet. It was funny when by photo shooting / taking we had to light the back of the photo machine with our lights to see what to push on it.
With my good front light, the descent didn’t cause a problem for me, but in the forest I twice shouted a little bit to avoid meeting with animals with my speed. I arrived back down to Bedoin just before midnight and I rolled through the main street with straight back and opening my arms wide: I DID IT!!!!!! I had one of the highest point of my 3 week long tour, so the Pyrenées could come :-)
16th July, 2010 – 4nd day = 2 km + 70 m heightdifference
From the start of the tour (from the airport of Nice): 272,22 km + 6606 m
I planned a rest day for the day after when I cycled up to Mont Ventoux 4 times. It was a good decision, so I spent the day with writing my notes, I spent an hour in a cybercafe, I swam in the open-air swimming pool and watched the finish of the Tour de France stage by the bicycleshop of Bedoin. The stage finished on a 10% steep ascent.
17th July, 2010.július.17, szombat – 5. nap: = Bedoin – Carpentras – Avignon – VONAT (Narbonne-n át Bram-ig) – Fanjeux – Mirepoix – Lavelanet - Villeneuve d’Olmes = 124,91 km + 1203 m szint
From the start of the tour (from the airport of Nice): 397,13 km + 7809 m szint
After waking up early not to have any problem catching the train to the Pyrenées I cycled to Avignon without hurryying. I said good bye to the Ventoux: Thank you for everything! In Avignon I spent an hour, then I travelled to Bram, a village by the Canal du Midi, not far from the Pyrenéen. I started my Pyrenés crossing bicycle tour there, by the height of ca. 130m. I cycled to the shore of the Canal du Midi to start my tour as low as I could. In 2007 I crosseed the Pyrenées by my bicycle from the Atlantic ocean to the Mediterranean sea, now I wanted to cross it from East to West (Barcelona). Despite of the crossing, not that was the 1st priority of my tour, but to collect the ramaining paved roads going above 2000m in the Pyrenées. My aim was to have all of them! THis day started only with reaching the Pyrenées.
After a few kms the 1st climb went up to Fanjeux to a nice village with very good panorama to the Canal du Midi valley and to the Pyrenées to the Medtierranean sea. Next to a small church there was a painted map on a mosaic. After Fanjeux the road went on hilly terrain for ca. 2 hours. During it I cycled ca. 20 km long on the route of the Tour de France next day and met with a lot of cars, caravans of Tour fans. I could feel the Tour de France effect. I enjoyed seeing a sign along the road showing that there the Pyrenées starts.
Arriving at the camping next to Lavelanet – because the weather wasn’t warm enough (ca. 20 degrees Celsius) – I cycled onto Col de Montségur – only because training a little bit and gathering a B.I.G. listed summit. It is not a long, but steep climb (8,5% for 4 kms long).
18th July, 2010 – 6th day: = Villeneuve d’Olmes – Lavelanet – Tarascon – Port de Lers (1517 m) – Col d’Agnes – Col de Latrape (1111 m) – Guzet Neige (1520 m) – Seix = 118,72 km + 2390 m heightidifference
From the start of the tour (from the airport of Nice): 515,85 km + 10199 m
After the weather front went by, I woke up for beautiful sunshine. I cycled to the Arriege valley on a road between hills, then in the Ariege valley a sign warned the drivers to pay attention to the cyclists along the road and they should oversome them with holding 1,5 meters between the cars and the cyclists. That’s France ! I hardly remember such a sign in Hungary. At the start of cycling along the river I enjoyed the nice mountains, but as I could see higher and sometimes snowy peaks I nearly jumped out of my skin: „-MY TOUR HAS REALLY STARTED!” – I knew.
Tarascon was a pleasant mooded town with flowers on the houses and the bridge. I could feel the effect of the Tour de France on the traffic: this day a lot of fans arrived at the montain stage finish, at Ax 3 Domaine.
The 1st true pyrenean col / pass – known from (?) my bicycle tour (Raid Pyreneen) that I had in 2007 – was the 1517m high Port de Lers that was followed by some others known from that tour. This year I cycled them from the opposite direction, that’s an other reason, why I liked the itinerary.
To its halfway I pushed the pedals in a hardly sunny forest with water bableing next to the road, later falling on the mountainside as a waterfall. I enjoyed the climb: it gave pleasant mood. Taking a photo at a hairpin band I was overcome by an english girl riding a light bike, so I decided to raise my speed and catch her. I caught him ½ kms before the top so I could record a good videofilm with a cyclist just in front of me. Speaking a little bit, it turned out, that she and the group of her were riding the Raid Pyreneen followed by a support car.
On the descent I stopped by the paragliders flying in the air: I enjoyed very much seeing flying them above the valley, in front of the mountains. Ca. 30 other people did the same as me. Cycling up to the 1570 m high Col d’Agnes again I had problem with the fender of my bicycle: sometimes it reached the wheel, so I tried to fix it better than it was. It slackened so I had a task for the evening, because it seemed that without fixing it I would be broken. The panorama from the Col was known for me, buti t was fantastic again.
I was surprised when after the problem int he 1st shop of Aulus les Bains I found a bunch of plastic ties that seemed to be perfect for fixing the fender. The Col de Latrape (1110 m) was a small, minor pass, but after it I had (and wanted) to climb the Guzet Neige, another Tour de France mountain top finish
and B.I.G (www.challenge-big.eu ) listed ascent. In 1995 the stage was won by Marco Pantani and the overall leader was my favourite, Miguel Indurain. The weather was just opposite then at that time: bright sunshine and wonderful lights after 6 pm. It’s upper half is wonderful with the views and from the top there is a true total round panorama to the mountains and valleys.
I could see the Col d’Agnes too. I count this ascent to between the 5-10 most beautiful in the Pyrenées. For sunset I just arrived at the camping of Seix that I also had known and spent there a night. I finished the day with solving the problem of my slackened fender: I fixed it.
19th July, 2010 – 7th day: = Seix – Col de la Core (1395 m) – Audessein – Col de Portet d’Aspet (1069 m) – Col de Mente (1349 m) – St Beat – Bagneres de Luchon – Garin (1120 m) = 108,93 km + 2906 m heightdifference
From the start of the tour (from the airport of Nice): 624,78 km + 13105 m
I woke up in time, because at noon I had to arrive the Col de Portet d’Aspet so be able to see the Tour de France live on the steep part of the climb. I assumed that the road will be closed at ca. half past 11 or noon, so I began ascending the Col de la Core by my touringbike at half past 8. I visited this col from the other side in 2007, but because of the fog on the summit I hadn’t seen the views.
On that day I had fortune with the sunny weather, blues kies, and enjoyed the lack of traffic and videorecording of the british bicyclists who were riding the Raid Pyreneen followed by their following / organised car who carried their packs. I love the Pyrenées while it is calmer than the Alps and the roads are less trafficked. It is a bicycle friendly region, mountain range.
Reaching the top a few people of the Raid Pyreneen cyclists team applauded me next from their car. After a short video recording, rest and looking around I cycled downwards in the direction of hillier landscape with lower mountains to Audessein. By the village I was surprised by policemen who stopped me and didn’t let me turn left towards the Col de Portet d’Aspet, while sometimes organisers or sponsor cars were driven there.
After at least 10 minutes conversation at last I could convince him to let me at least walak to the village next to my bike, as others. From the end of the village where no policemen could see me I sat up onto the saddle and could cycle again by a light speed to the next local policaman. That was the process to the last village : in villages mainly walking and between the villages slow cyclng. I was at the middle of the true ascent, when the 1st car of the caravane arrived.
The caravane consists of special shaped commercial and sponsor cars, vehicles, a few of them carried dancers and speakers on it: music, dance, applaudes and very good mood, feeling – that is what we feel. I was fascinated by it very much; I could almost keep inside me the happyness. It was fantastic! The caravane can’t be seen on the TV, ths should be experienced, lived through !
In the villages I saw old women sitting along the road on a simple chair and waiting for the best bicycleracers of the world and the great event. On the ascent I found a good place ca. 2kms before the top in a hairpin bend. First the organisators’ cars arrived, then policemen on motorbikes in front of the teté de la course (1st group) and not much after we saw the helicopter in the air, and the peloton arrived.
They cycled calm and without any hurry: they used all of the pavement, ca. 10 cyclists pushed the pedals next to each other and the others in rows behind them. After the racers and their squad cars went away I cycled up to the col, where there was such a traffic jam that I thought it’s better to eat enough for the next climbs and cycle half an hour later.
After a fast descent and a short stop by the Fabio Casartelli monument the Col de Mente (1350 m)was the next: it was a hard climb from its other side in 2007 and I can say: it is hard too from East too, but beautiful with its serpentines and views down to it. I enjoyed it and can record videofilms again about the raid Pyreneen rider britons. At the top I joined them for a clinking.
After a downhill again I cycled to Bagneres, the Tour stage finish of the day on a lightly ascending main road where I met with a lot of cars coming from Bagneres: I saw TV cars too. In the center of the town I saw the cordons of the finish street, on the sidewalk a lot of people were walking and the restaurants were full with visitors, fans.
I finished the day with a mountain top finish, as I cycled up an hour on the ascent of the Col de Peyresourde because in the following morning I wanted to see the Tour de France racers by the top of this col. After building up my tent in Garin I could see the last 2 kms of the stage on the TV of my neighbour british pair.
During this day – with stopping for 3 hours on the Col de Portet d’Aspet I climbed 2906 m heiughtdifference by my 26 kg packed touring bike.
20th July, 2010, - 8th day: = Garin (1120 m) – Col de Peyresourde (1569 m) – Genos – Col d’Azet (1580 m) – St Lary Soulan – Col de Portet felé, aszfaltos után 700m-rel (1750 m) – Pla d’Adet (1680 m) – St Lary – Arreau (710 m) – Col d’Aspin (1489 m) – St Marie Campan, kemping (847 m) = 115,65 km + 3062 m heightdiff.
Since the start of my tour (airport): 740,43 km + 16214 m heightdiff.
I woke up for the following Tour de France day and for blue sky. I left the camping at 9 am to ascending the 1569m high, 1st categorie climb, the Col de Peyresourde to record the Tour de France racers cycling from above for video. This pass is one of those cols, from where we could see long kilometers of serpentines so later the racers for a long time as they would coming closer and closer.
Already from the end of Garin few cars and mobile homes and people were standing along the road and were waiting for the Tour. From time to time cyclists were climbing, there was no traffic, because the road was closed. I cycled the last 2-3 kms with a spanish guy pedalling and chatting with me and then at the top, we took photos about each other. Half an hour later the policemen stopped every cyclist and asked to walk, while the commercial and sponsor or squad cars came. I was waiting for the racers 400meters before the summit, from where the fans were almost a wall along the road.
I took the more than 1 meter wide hungarian flag onto my bike, I hoped maybe it would be seen on the TV. Hungarian reporters usually feel happiness when they could see a hungarian fag along the road.
The caravane of the commercial and sponsor cars, vehicles were fantastic again, but didn’t surprised me. This time I could get one of the green plastic, flat hand with the fans usually applaude. After it I carried it (with 4-5 mountain’s king hat) to the end of my tour.
After first I could see the first policemen motorbikers far down on the road the happening lasted for ca. 20 minutes. Although that was the 1st climb of the day the peloton was broken for 4-5 blocks. Lance Armstrong and ca. 10 others were cycling on the front and then came the others with Contador in yellow. It can’t be told how I felt there when seeing everywhere biker groups and motorbikers by them and helicopter in the air, etc. I took pictures with a photo machine in my rigth hand and recorded videofilm with the camera in my left hand.
The mood was unbelievable: the fans were louder and louder as the racers came closer. Instead of other sentences look the pictures and my video about it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IduBQFg7X44
After every racer and car went away I cycled up to the top from where the descent was great, because the road was closed yet.
My next climb, the 1580m high Col d’Azet was few times mountain top finish with the name: Val Louron – Azetthe finish is ca. 1-2 kms next to the col by a ski center. In 1991 Claudio Chiapucci wn the stage and my favourite Indurain got the yellow jersey. The climb is 8-11% steep for 4 km long and the 2nd half of it gives great views back to the valley, the spanish border, the lake and the Col d’Peyresourde. At some places cows were lying along the road calmly.
Arriving at the top of the 2nd BIG listed ascent of the day I could see the hard ascents, the Col de Portet (2215 m) and the Pla d’Adet (BIG). As I were recording videofilm, US cyclists arrived at the top. I asked them: they were from Massachusetts county and were helpful and suggested me taking photos about me. I was with a little time behind my daily plan and it increased when I couldn’t find an open shop without cycling a quarter an hour in St Lary. That made me angry.
Based on the experiences of one of the most serious cycloclimber, Jerry Nilson (www.cycloclimbing.com ) , the Col de Portet is one of the hardest ascent in the Pyrenées. I couldn’t exactly remember (but maybe a little bit) that it would be paved to the top, but I hoped that it can be ridden without a problem. The lower section for 7km long with 9-10% steepness was a panoramic road.
After hiding my pack behind bushes I cycled up without any problem enjoying the views to the border and to the previous col. As I was cycling up I thought about wether how much time I would have to cycle in dark. After turning right onto the road to Col de Portet the pavement lasted for 3kms, after it was gravel and dirt road. Because more hours of cycling were ahead of me I turned back (I was above the level of Pla d’Adet): I wasn’t sad, because this summer in the Pyrenées mainly the paved roads above 2000m were the most important for me. Because I cycled 600m up I thought I didn’t have to spend a little time to visit Pla d’Adet to get a BIG.
Last time the Tour de France visited Pla d’Adet in 2005 after a brutal stage 2005 Tour stage with Pla d’Adet ) with Col de Mente, Portillon, Peyresourde, Col d’Azet and finish at Pla d’Adet. Despite the hardness of it I was interested in the stage of 1993, (1993 Tour stage with Pla d’Adet ) with Collada del Canto (I cycled it 1 week later) Puerto de la Bonaigua (2072 m), Col du Portillon, Col de Peyresourde and than Pla d’Adet.
Zenon Jaskula won this 230km long stage ahead of Rominger and Indurain were only 3 seconds behind him. The 9-10% steepness wasn’t a problem for not such a light body.
By the end of the road I got nice view back to the Col d’Azet. After rolling back I found my packs and then I had to cycle the 4th BIG listed climb of the day, the Col d’Aspin (ridden in 2007 too) that I started cycling at sunset. I reached the top in dark and sadly I experienced that I could see thunderlights far away: in the direction where the camping „waited for me”. Without a rain I built up my tent at 11 pm in a camp next to St Marie Campan, the start village of the legendary Col du Tourmalet.
21th July, 2010 – 9th day: St Marie de Campan – Lourdes – Luz St Saveur – Cirque Troumouse (2108 m) – Luz = 127 km + 1928 m heightdiff.
Because of the long previous day I decided to skip cycling through Col du Tourmalet that I did in 2007, so without much climb pushed the pedals to Lourdes and than to Luz, which weas full of a lot of Tour fans. In the morning I saw a great Tourmalet 100 years in the Tour exhibition in St Marie de Campan with old photos and a bicycle of 1935.
After I set up my tent I left Luz with a short shower from the sky. The meteo forecast for the following days was bad – I read it in Gedre and my road tup to Cirque didn’t seemed so good too. The sky was cloudy and above 1400m I went into the cloud. I had to stop twice for a while because serious shower, but as the Sun started to show itself and the clouds were broking I hoped for a weather change, but in vain. The serpentineroad and the landscape with waterfalls steep, wild rocks and fantastic rockwalls were wonderful, but the clouds were growing dark and I got the third serious rain at ca 2000m.
Above 1900m I knew I have this climb and nothing could stop me. I was very determined to have the first climb above 2000m in the Pyrenées this year. By the parking place the panorama was beautiful. Cycling backwards I got enough rain again so I got soaked very much. By good weather this climb could be one of the most beautiful in the Pyrenées.
22th July, 2010 – 10th day: Luz St Saveur – Tour de France „experience” – Luz Ardiden (1720 m) - Luz St Saveur = 33,81 km + 1070 m heightdiff.
Since the start of my tour (airport): 901 km + 19212 m heightdifference
As I woke up in the morning the rain hadn’t stopped, so I asked my sister by sms to inform me about the weather forecast. Early afternoon I managed to catch a short period without rain, when I could go into the shop and buy an unbrella. I needed it to have it above me to shelter me and my shoes to remain dry and to be able to record video under it.
This day was the last mountain stage of the Tour de France, which finish was organised for the Col du Tourmalet, one of the few legends of the Tour de France. Everybody waited for a serious competition. The weather and the rain, that seemed not to be gone away for more hours long, caused that I had no choice to cycle towards the Col du Tourmalet and so I remained in Luz St Saveur to record for film the Tour there.
As I were walking in the village after a while the fans started to gather and I decided where I should take a place to record the racers well. I found the caravane (with scecial shaped vehicles, dancing girls and music, etc.) again very good and enjoyed it very much, but that wasn’t a surprise then after the two previous occassions. There was one disappointing thing:I saw more people who seemed to be not interesting about the cycleracers and the Tour, but only the free gifts given, thrown by the „caravane-girls”. A few „fans” jumped very fast to have the free gifts as pigeons used to do when bread is thrown to them.
Because the true fight between Contador and Andy Schleck sterted only after Luz, we saw the field arriving in 4 groups. There weren’t any exciting things there. After that the support cars went away the fans walked back to the main square to watch there the competition on a huge monitor. By the half of the climb Andy attacked, but Contador could follow him, then we saw a reattack by Alberto, but they arrived at the finish together. During the climb from time to time the Andy fans or the spanish and Contador fans shouted few words louder.
After the finish, because for a few hours there wasn’t any rain and the coulds seemed to be thinner, I decided to cycle one ascent in the late afternoon. I had two choice (Hautacam and Luz Ardiden), but I chose Luz Ardiden (starting just from Luz St Saveur), about that I found an interesting stage finish after that I arrived in Hungary: in the year 1990 my favourite, Miguel Indurain won a mountain top finish here
The ascent could have been nice, but in a foggy afternoon... Because of the lack of views I hardly stopped to record video of photo.
At ca. 1000m I stopped as a cyclist arrived from above and it was an interesting thing, that he was from Slovakia, the neighbour country of Hungary. He was an other cyclist who not only pushes the pedals but looks around too. Above ca. 1400m I cycled in fog, so the humidity made the pavement and plants wet. Arriving at the top I just took 3 photos, a short video and then I turned back. I was hardly waiting for the hot shower in the camping.
23th July, 2010 – 11th day: Luz St Saveur – Argeles Gazost – Col du Soulor (1474 m) – Col d’Aubisque (1709 m) – Laruns – Col de Portalet (1794 m) – Sallent de Gallego = 111 km + 2695 m heightdiff.
Since the start of my tour (airport):1012,3 km + 21907 m heightdiff.
This day seemed to be a hard, but not too brutal day. The program had 2 parts: 2 cols, the Col du Soulor – Aubisque dual, and the long and not too steep, Col de Portalet (1794 m), going to Spain. I spent the following days after that day mainly in Spain.
The hour long cycling lightly dawnwards in a thin valley and in partly sunny-cloudy weather to Argéles was an ideal warming up before the first ascent to the 1474 m high Col du Soulor. In Argéles I bought a few gifts. In Arrens I saw painted, flowwer decorated bicycles staying along the road or fixed to a balcony in connection of the Tour the France, that went there 2 days ago. I could feel the effect that the Tour is int hat region, because a met with more dozen of cyclists. A part of them could be fans who visited the Tour.
Cycling on the upper, partly panoramic section I recorded them a few times for video with nice mountains in the background. After the rainly days this day the weather was acceptable: the clouds were breaking and they covered the mountains only above 1800-1900m, so under this level I could enjoy the views. Opposite of the situation in 2007, I could clearly see the romantic, wild road going up to the Col du Aubisque (1709 m).
A few times I recorded videofilm during pushing the pedals on the road on the steep mountainside. Later I saw names of competitors painted onto the pavement by fans and I was surprised by seeing the name of Jan Ullrich who I liked to watch to compete in 1997 on TV. I reached the top in clear weather and I felt high spirits looking ahead and looking the sunny weather.
On the western side of the saddle 3 huge iron „bicycle-creation” was stand there painted for yellow, green and polka-doted, as the jerseys by the Tour the France. I also asked a ment o take photos about me: that was a must!
An immediatelly arrived cloud made me leave the saddle as early as I could; there was ca. 12 degrees Celsius. On the descent I filmed good video as I descended down in the bends. 30 minutes later the weather was sunnier and warmer.
As a sign wrote it, the hardness of Col du Portalet (1794 m) is not the steepness (it is never steeper than 7-8%), but its lengths: it goes 29kms long up to the spanish border, which can be found 1294m higher than Laruns. The ascent went long kms in a thin and deep valley along a stream (sometimes with nice views up to steep, wild mountains), then it is almost flat by a lake. The last 5kms twist and turn mainly on grassy field and arrived at the top by a wonderful terrain and panoramic section with a few sheeps and horses and rockclimbers there. I was amazed by the last few kilometers; I liked that mountains very much.
There is a surprise at the top (22 pm): there are french and spanish words for congratulating to the cyclists who reached the top.
Using front lights and in warm clothes I descended ont he main road to Sallent de Gallego, where I found a lot of people : maybe there was a festive or I don’t know. But the camp was almost full of young people who couldn’t shut up their mouths after 1 am in the night. In darkness I couldn’t see the beautiful situation of the town; I had to wait for it to the morning.
Kanári szigetek
My passes 
Pyrenées bicycle tour
