Showing posts with label Luz Ardiden. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Luz Ardiden. Show all posts

14 July 2011

Tour Travel - Tour de France, Stage 12

Hourquette d'Ancizan, Col du Tourmalet, Luz Ardiden
Stage 12 of the 2011 Tour de France today included three of my favorite rides in the Pyrenees. The Horquette d'Ancizan, Tourmalet, and Luz Ardiden. This was the first year the Hourquette was included in the Tour. Last year I specifically stayed in the nearby town of Guchan to ride the Hourquette. I heard about the climb online by other cyclists, similar to myself, that ride and then write about cycling in France. It was on my bucket list. Sadly I remember the hosts of the bed & breakfast where I stayed last year making the comment, "we all hope the Tour de France never discovers our little Hourquette." Oops.

When I read that their local secret would be included in this year's Stage 12 of the Tour de France, I thought of that nice couple in France. I remember fondly their quiet yet-undiscovered (no paint on the road) climb of the Hourquette d'Ancizan. It was a wonderful day in the Pyrenees on a bicycle when I rode that climb last July, (my post from the day: Magnificent day in the Haute-Pyrenees)

this is the summit of the Hourquette d'Ancizan
After you descend the Hourquette d'Ancizan, you may turn right to go up the Col d'Apsin, or turn left to go up the Tourmalet. What a decision!

The big climbs of Stage 12 today
Last climbs in Stage 12, 2011 Tour de France.  click to enlarge

I had a blast this morning watching the Tour de France on TV and on Eurosport (on my laptop) so I didn't miss an inch of reminiscing at every corner and turn of the road through the Pyrenees. Today the riders take on three of the mountains that comprise some of my favorites memories of cycling in France. This is where the epic climbs of the Tour de France are located, where history is made and front forks are forged. 

Let's climb up the Col du Tourmalet, well-known as one of the best climbs in Europe.

Sitting with a coffee, plate of berries, yogurt and granola, TV, laptop, watching the race live, I couldn't be happier. But it is all made more real by the simple act of texting a friend saying, remember when we were there. 

sitting on a mountain in France
It was a great stage today, now we are talking Tour de France competition! All I have to do now is watch the Tour coverage reruns twice more today and I will be good. Even better, go back to the Pyrenees!

Excellent posts by VeloPeloton, links: 
Tour de France – Arrives in the Pyrenees by Paddy Sweeney
Blog posts by PedalDancer.com:
Trademark Pedal Dancer® ©Copyright photo content
Labels: , , , , , , ,

30 October 2010

I was there that day on Luz Ardiden

On a mountain in the Pyrenees
In 2003 I visited France for 3 weeks and followed the Tour de France through the Alpes and Pyrenees. On a warm morning in July I rode from Lourdes up the east side of the Col du Tourmalet, descended the west side and continued the climb up to Luz Ardiden for the finish of Stage 15.
As is typical with many Tour de France mountain top finishes, the road was packed with fans that day and the last three or four kilometers to the top was closed to cyclists. We dismounted and carried our bikes along the edge of the road for a few kilometers, then found a spot on the hillside to rest our bikes and our bodies. We waited. It was a long cold foggy wait that day on Luz Ardiden. But it was a wait well worth our time.
We could see a large screen TV near the finish line and hear the French Tour commentator from where we stood on the hill. The fog periodically blanketed and revealed the screen above us as we stood surrounded in the excitement of the fans anticipating a pack of riders approaching from the switchbacks below. At the very moment the large screen again became shrouded by a cloud, the commentator gasped, and then gasped again, quickly sputtered some words in French, and then in full voice burst forth, "Lance ArmstroNG!, Lance ArmstroNG!, Lance ArmstroNG!".
What was happening? Had he fallen? The buzz in the crowd began to spread that Armstrong had fallen just down the road. We waited, the screen remained clouded over. Suddenly with a crazed angry pedal stroke and a look I will never forget, Armstrong emerged in front of us, the lone rider. Distanced from the other riders, he flew past us headed to the summit 500 meters away. Followed quickly by Ullrich, Mayo, and Zubeldia. I can still remember the unexpected look of pursuit on their faces.
It was later that night that we learned what had happened that day on Luz Ardiden; when a mussette bag had snagged Armstrong's handlebars and brought him to the ground, only to rise again in a panicked fury. I was there that day on Luz Ardiden and will never forget the competitive look of an athlete turned inside out with the raw realization of "I cannot loose".
Lance Armstrong on Luz Ardiden 2003 Tour de France 500 meters from the Finish. Photo by: PedalDancer.com
Did Ullrich wait that day, or did he not? Jan Ullrich, Iban Mayo, and Haimar Zubeldia on Luz Ardiden TDF 2003. Photo by: PedalDancer.com

A moment of surprise (this was the scene down the road)
Trademark Pedal Dancer® ©Copyright photo content
Labels: , , , , ,