Have you ever dreamt of riding the iconic climbs of the Tour de France or the Giro d’Italia? Make it a reality on one of our fully-supported KOM Challenge tours to the Alps, Pyrenees or Dolomites.
With an average distance of 45 miles (75km) per day, our KOM Challenge tours are specifically designed for Performance cyclists wishing to fulfil their dreams and cross off those famous, bucket-list climbs!
The Pyrenees are rich in famous climbs and our KOM Challenge focuses on the most celebrated icons including the Col du Tourmalet, Col de Peyresourde, Col d’Aspin, Port de Bales, Col de Val Louron-Azet and many more.
Live the dream, join the best support team in the industry for a week of legendary rides in the Pyrenees.
Take a look at the beautiful Cap du Long that we’ll climb on Day 5:
Trip Itinerary
Bienvenue en France!
Our staff will meet you at Toulouse Blagnac Airport. From the airport we have a short transfer to our hotel in St Lary Soulan. After checking into the hotel we’ll have our Orientation Meeting followed by lunch, then our mechanics will be on hand to help you get the bikes ready for the first ride.
Our warm-up ride takes us high into the hills above the Aure Valley and gives us our first taste of riding in the Pyrenees. Serene roads and spectacular mountain landscapes set the scene for the week to come!
Meeting Time and Place
Our guides will meet you at 8:30am - either at Toulouse Blagnac Airport or at the Pullman Toulouse Airport Hotel
Col de Peyresourde
From the hotel we immediately start climbing the Col de Val Louron-Azet, one of the most beautiful climbs in the Pyrenees, with spectacular views of the high peaks that form the border with Spain off to our right.
The summit of Val Louron also offers a great view of the Col de Peyresourde in the distance - our next climb.
We drop down to Avajan where we start the climb to the Col de Peyresourde and up to Peyragudes where the steep slopes put Chris Froome in difficulty in last years Tour de France.
The long descent back to Arreau is followed by the short ride along the banks of the Neste river which leads us back to our hotel.
Col d'Aspin
Another Tour de France classic climb today in the shape of the Col d’Aspin. The Aspin is one of the most popular climbs in the Grand Boucle having figured in the TDF route no less than 71 times!
We’ll head out along the banks of the Neste River for 25km to the village of Heches. In Heches we take a left onto a single-track road that winds its way across the foothills of the Pyrenees, including the small climb to the Col des Palomieres.
The single-track road eventually drops us out in Bagneres-de-Bigorre where the road starts to point upwards signalling the start of the climb to the Col d’Aspin which lies 25km up the road. The summit of the Aspin offers some magnificent views of the highest peaks in the Pyrenees off to the south. Enjoy the fun descent from the Aspin to Arreau then back along the river to our hotel in St Lary Soulan.
Port de Bales
Today’s ride features one of the most challenging climbs in the Pyrenees - the Port de Bales. You may remember the Port de Bales as the 2010 “chaingate” scene, where Alberto Contador attacked Andy Schleck after Andy dropped his chain.
We’ll have a short transfer to the start of our ride in the small village of St Bertrand de Comminges. From St Bertrand we head south towards Mauleon-Barousse which signals the start of the climb. The Port de Bales is one of the toughest challenges in the Pyrenees but it is also one of the most beautiful clmbs. From the summit, a long descent takes us to the bottom of the Col de Peyresourde. Stop at the summit and enjoy some crepes at the famous creperie before the descent back to our hotel in St Lary.
Cap de Long
Yesterday we conquered the Port de Bales, today we have another challenging climb, the road up to the Cap de Long lake, close to the border with Spain. On a par with the Port de Bales in terms of difficulty and equally beautiful, you’ll love this ride!
Riding from the hotel we take the road that heads to the border with Spain, only about 20km away. After 10km we turn off the main road and start the climb. As we climb higher, the views become better and better with pristine rivers and lakes surrounded by the highest peaks in the Pyrenees.
The Tourmalet!
We saved the big one for the end - the Tourmalet.The Tourmalet was first introduced to the Tour de France in 1910 when Octave Lapize was the first rider over the summit.
To get to the Tourmalet we have to first climb over the Col d’Aspin then down to Sainte Marie de Campan. In Ste Marie we start the infamous climb which just seems to gets steeper and steeper. Once through La Mongie ski station the final 4km are truly memorable - and tough! Enjoy a coffee and a bite to eat at the famous restaurant on the summit before heading back down to Ste Marie. On the way back to the hotel we’ll ride over the Hourquette d’Ancizan with its vast prairies filled with wild horses. Spectacular! And a perfect ending to an awe-inspiring week in the Pyrenees.
Au Revoir!
Unfortunately, our trip must come to an end. Our shuttle will take you to Toulouse Blagnac Airport, arriving at approximately 9:00am.
