Road Climber: N2A - day 9: Jausiers to Briancon

We have been advised today is an epic day of classic mountain climbs.

It is certainly another big day of climbing as we climb two famous mountain passes of the French Alps - the Col de Vars (2,109m) and Col de l'Izoard (2,361m). Competitors in the 2017 Tour de France will be climbing these mountains in the forthcoming days.

The Col de Vars is 14.1kms long with an average gradient of 5.7%. The Col de l"Izoard is 15.9kms long with an average gradient of 6.9%.

On leaving the camp ground in Jausiers we started the climb to the Col de Vars. Initially the climb is gradual beside the Ubaye river through the village of Condamine L C at the 5km mark and on to St Paul sur Ubaye at the 7.3km mark where the actual climb really begins. The first 9kms of the climb is not too bad with it ramping up to over 12% in sections over the last 5kms.

As the Tour de France will be passing through shortly and roads are closed 24 hours before the Tour's arrival, supporters had positioned their camper vans along the route in preparation for the Tours arrival. The people were sitting outside their Vans talking to others listening to radios, reading, etc. There was a really good atmosphere and the people cheered us on as we were riding up the mountain -"Allez Allez". It gave one a real fill-up. There were also a lot of vans at the summit. It was an enjoyable climb with the summit being reached at the 22km mark. I stopped at the summit to have something to eat.

We had a sweeping fast descent through the ski villages of Les Claus and Vars to Guillestre at the 41 km mark. This was a descent I know many of my fellow riders in Australia would have enjoyed.

The support Van was positioned at the roundabout at Guillestre. I filled up my water bottles and obtained some lollies to eat on the climb. It was another hot day and at this point we were 30kms from the summit of the Col de l'Izoard.

We left Guillestre climbing gradually through the gorges of the Guil river and narrow tunnels. At this point we were riding through the Parc National de Queyras. At about the 57km mark we turned left and started the climb proper up the Col deL'Izoard. If one was to go straight ahead one would end up in Italy.

Initially the climb took us through alpine scenery and small villages. As we moved closer to the top we encountered hairpins and then the famous Casse Deserte with its forbidding and barren scree slops and jutting rock pinnacles. The scenery on the climb and the differences from the start to the summit is stunning. There is a memorial to Fausto Coppi (Tour de France winner 1949 & 1952 ) and Louison Bobet (Tour de France winner 1953, 54 & 55) in the Casse Deserte section. Like on the Col de Vars, Tour de France supporters had taken up positions with their Camper Vans along the route and continued to provide us with support as we rode towards the summit.

The climb ramps up in the last 10kms with a gradient of at least 14% reached. It is one great climb and once again on reaching the summit (72km mark) a great sense of achievement was felt and savored.

There is a snack bar, cycling museum and a shop that sells souvenir jerseys at the summit. After taking some photographs, having a look around and enjoying a can of coke, I readied myself for the magnificent descent into Briancon that went through tunnels on the ways down.

Briancon's old town is a UNESCO World Heritage site. The historical centre is a strongly fortified town built by Vauban (1633-1707) a marshal of France who was the foremost military engineer of his age. Briancon also claims to be the highest town in Europe!

We will be staying in the Chalets "Genepi" over the next three nights and can take in stages 17 and 18 of the Tour de France if we wish.

This has been yet another magical day of riding and climbing and another two bucket list mountains have been ticked off.

STATISTICS

Distance ridden today: 93.8kms. Cumulative total: 788.1kms

Vertical metres climbed today: 3,004. Cumulative total: 18,339m.