The Hotel in St Lary |
Day 1
SUNDAY › Bienvenue en France
Our
trip starts at Toulouse airport where our staff will be there
to welcome you before the transfer to our hotel in St Lary Soulan in the heart of the Pyrenees.
Lunch, orientation meeting, build up the bikes and then an afternoon ride to loosen up the legs before tomorrow's big day.
|
|
30 miles
|
2,500 ft elev. gain |
|
Today's Major Climbs |
|
Climb
|
Elev. Gain (feet)
|
Average Grade |
Length
(miles) |
Profile
(m/km)
|
Difficulty
Index |
Mont Gaillard
|
1,329ft |
6.1% |
4.1 miles |
|
67 |
|
| |
The Port de Bales
|
Day 2
MONDAY › Col de Peyresourde & Port de Bales
Our first major climb is the Category 1 Col de Peyresourde - where Jan Ullrich sensationally ran off the road into a small river while descending with Lance Armstrong in 2001.
Next on the agenda is the Hors-Categorie Port de Bales, first ridden by the pros in 2007. It's a "beast" of a climb with the last 12km rarely under 9% and many sections over 10%!
After the thrilling descent of the Port de Bales we climb back over the Peyresourde before the long drop down to our hotel in St Lary.
RIDE SUMMARY:
|
90 miles
|
9,900 ft elev. gain |
|
Today's Major Climbs |
|
Climb
|
Elev. Gain (feet)
|
Average Grade |
Length
(miles) |
Profile
(m/km)
|
Difficulty
Index |
Col de Peyresourde (west side)
|
2,149 ft |
6.6% |
6.2 miles |
|
86 |
Port de Bales
|
3,888 ft |
6.3% |
11.7 miles |
|
130 |
Col de Peyresourde (east side)
|
3,081 ft |
6.1% |
9.5 miles |
|
96 |
|
| |
The Col d'Aspin |
Day 3
TUESDAY › Col d'Azet & Col d'Aspin
A magnificent ride today through some of the most beautiful countryside in the Pyrenees.
From St Lary we head east towards one of the most striking climbs in the Pyrenees - the 1580m Col de Val Louron-Azet. Enjoy the spectacular views from the summit before the technical descent (lots of switchbacks!) to Genos. From Genos we'll take you over some of our favorite backroads to the Hourquette d'Ancizan and back to our hotel via the Col d'Aspin.
RIDE SUMMARY:
|
60 miles
|
7,400 ft elev. gain |
|
Today's Major Climbs |
|
Climb
|
Elev. Gain (feet)
|
Average Grade |
Length
(miles) |
Profile
(m/km)
|
Difficulty
Index |
Col d'Azet (from St Lary)
|
2,559 ft |
7.3% |
6.6 miles |
|
99 |
Mont Gaillard (from Borderes)
|
1,093 ft |
5.8% |
3.5 miles |
|
73 |
Hourquette d'Ancizan (east side)
|
2,641 ft |
7.8% |
6.4 miles |
|
98 |
Col d'Aspin (west side)
|
2,106 ft |
5.0% |
7.9 miles |
|
59 |
|
| |
Part of the climb to Lake Cap de Long
|
Day 4
WEDNESDAY › High-Altitude Day....
3 major climbs and over 11,000ft of total elevation gain! We start the day with the climb up to the Bielsa Tunnel and the border with Spain.
The second climb takes us up the magnificent Neste de Couplan Valley into the Pyrenees National Park at the Cap de Long Lake.
Our third climb is one of the toughest climbs in the Pyrenees - the 2215m Col de Portet - enjoy!
RIDE SUMMARY:
|
65 miles
|
11,150 ft elev. gain |
|
Today's Major Climbs |
|
Climb
|
Elev. Gain (feet)
|
Average Grade |
Length
(miles) |
Profile
(m/km)
|
Difficulty
Index |
Tunel de Bielsa
|
3,281 ft |
5.3% |
11.7 miles |
|
94 |
Climb to Lake Cap de Long
|
4,400 ft |
5.9% |
14.1 miles |
|
131 |
Col de Portet
|
4,610 ft |
7.9% |
11.0 miles |
|
152 |
|
| |
Riding "off the beaten path" in the Pyrenees |
Day 5
THURSDAY › Off the beaten path...
80 miles and close to 8,000ft of climbing through some of the prettiest and quietest roads in the Pyrenees!
We start the ride on the climb of the Col de Beyrede, a small road that leads to Ste Marie de Campan. From Campan we take another tiny road over several small cols to Bagneres de Bigorre.
Down the valley to Arreau then over the very challenging but beautiful Col d'Azet before the long descent to the hotel in St Lary.
RIDE SUMMARY:
|
80 miles
|
7,700 ft elev. gain |
|
Today's Major Climbs |
|
Climb
|
Elev. Gain (feet)
|
Average Grade |
Length
(miles) |
Profile
(m/km)
|
Difficulty
Index |
Col de Beyrede
|
2,582m |
7.1% |
6.8 miles |
|
114 |
Mont Gaillard (from Arreau) |
1,568m |
8.8% |
3.4 miles |
|
89 |
Col d'Azet (from Genos) |
2,034m |
8.3% |
4.7 miles |
|
92 |
|
| |
On the Col du Tourmalet |
Day 6
FRIDAY › The Tourmalet...!!!
We end the trip with a bang! 105 miles, 10,000ft of climbing and the mighty Tourmalet! Not a bad way to end our climbing week in the Pyrenees. (don't worry - there will also be the option of a less challenging 65 mile ride!)
From St Lary we'll head north to Arreau where we start the 12km climb to the Col d'Aspin. After a 25km descent to Bagneres de Bigorre we'll take one of our favorite backroads to Argeles before riding up the Gorge de Luz to Luz St Sauveur and the start of the Tourmalet. Our return to St Lary will take us over the Hourquette d'Ancizan with it's fabulous descent back to our hotel in St Lary.
RIDE SUMMARY:
|
105 miles
|
10,500 ft elev. gain |
Easier "B" ride:
|
65 miles
|
8,750 ft elev. gain |
|
Today's Major Climbs |
|
Climb
|
Elev. Gain (feet)
|
Average Grade |
Length
(miles) |
Profile
(m/km)
|
Difficulty
Index |
Col d'Aspin (from Arreau)
|
2,556 ft |
6.5% |
7.4 miles |
|
81 |
Col du Tourmalet
|
4,606 ft |
7.4% |
11.8 miles |
|
138 |
Hourquette d'Ancizan |
2,966 ft |
4.0% |
14.0 miles |
|
78 |
|
| |
| |
|
Day 7
SATURDAY › Au Revoir!
End of our trip and final transfer to Toulouse
airport. |
| |
| |
