Photo for the Day - Hautacam

Hautacam

The green hills and ski lifts of the Hautacam.  click to enlarge  2010 Photo by Karen Rakestraw at Pedal Dancer®

I woke up this morning thinking about what will be the last major climb of the 2014 Tour de France. The Hautacam is a 13.6 km climb (or 14.5 depending on your starting location) that many people would have a tough time placing on a map. That is because the climb to Hautacam is not on a mountain peak or a pass, the climb instead leads to a local ski resort in the Lavendan Valley of the Pyrenees.

The Hautacam is located down-valley from the grand majestic Col du Tourmalet, and up-valley from the oddly religious city of Lourdes. But just because the Hautacam wraps itself across a plush green hillside don't discount the impact this climb will have in the outcome of this year's race.

The Hautacam is one of my favorite climbs. Perhaps not as epic as other climbs in the area, but for an open road bike rider it is just right. The grade changes as you climb, and that means a refreshing almost inspiring change of gears. Don't let those 8% signs fool you, the signs seem to announce 8% every time you spot one, even when your legs are telling you they must be under-averaging. Actually the official average places the total climb at 7.8% (some say 7.5%), but that doesn't mean you wont feel those 13-15% sections.

Come on! give me a 10% sign! I know I am climbing at least 10%!   Photo by Karen Rakestraw at Pedal Dancer® 2010

You'll begin to wonder why they even bothered posting yet another tormenting 8% sign because the gradient is not the full story of this climb. The real joy is to be found in the numerous turns and twists as you rise higher and higher up the hillside. You'll get a real sense that you are climbing as you watch the lovely valley recede below. It does not matter that the climb to Hautacam basically leads nowhere (to a ski parking lot), because the smile on your face and the aticipation of the excellent descent will tell you the climb was well worth it.

The not so glorious top of the Hautacam.  Photo by Karen Rakestraw at Pedal Dancer® 2008

We could look at the climb of the Hautacam this way

But I think it best to look at it this way - the Hautacam wraps up that hillside.

Photo by Karen Rakestraw at Pedal Dancer® 2012

And to look at it this way - bend after ascending bend

On a beautiful green slope

Photo by Karen Rakestraw at Pedal Dancer® 2010

This is the view from the Hautacam across the Lavendan Valley, quintessential Pyrenees, and your reward for climbing the Hautacam (on a nice day).

Photo by Karen Rakestraw at Pedal Dancer® 2010

During this year's Tour de France, the peloton will not get to enjoy the scenery of this very nice climb, fans will line every bend of the road screaming and yelling at them to go, go. The riders will however feel the clever attacks as the road varies in steepness to the finish line. The Hautacam is well-deserving of being called hard.

The Hautacam is a pleasant low-traffic climb on any day other than Tour day. On this year's Tour day, it should be an active ride or walk up and a fine place to spend hours sitting on a hillside waiting for the arrival of the best climbers in the world (as long as the weather is good because it can get very cold on this hillside). The Hautacam might not appear as epic as the Col du Tourmalet, but you have to ride the Hautacam to truly know it.

Map of route from the city of Pau to the climb of Hautacam.  Map from pyreneesmultisport.com

This year the 22nd edition of L'Etape du Tour takes on Stage 18 of the Tour de France. The lucky participants will get to challenge themselves on this exact stage, read more: L’Étape du Tour, July 20th (it sold out quickly this year, but some limited spaces are still available through a couple tour companies.)

Right in the middle of the Pyrenees.  click google map to enlarge

I once had a nice stay at a cycling lodge just across the valley. I woke up to a view of the Hautacam every morning. No I wasn't still dreaming, it was real. (La Lanterne Rouge, Saint-Savin, France).

If you are in the area also climb the Col du Tourmalet, Col d'Aubique, Col du Soulor, Cirque du Litor, Col de Spandelles, and Luz Ardiden. For more information on the Hautacam, the best description is by Velopeloton. I imagine Paddy, the author, will be watching a number of the pros train on this climb in spring/summer, he can see the Hautacam from his home in Saint-Savin, lucky guy.

Related posts by Pedal Dancer: Undulating, Unrelenting, Underdressed (my ride up the Hautacam in 2010), and I'm back at La Lanterne Rouge (in 2012) and Route of the 2014 Tour de France

What are we seeing in the Tour de France

Men, land, jerseys, numbers and bikes

Upon watching the first stage of this year's Tour de France, I found myself glued to the screen, again becoming familiar with all there is to see in any one stage. To me the race is never one that whizzes by - not when there is so much to look at. Special jerseys, helmets, numbers, bikes, motos, and oh the marvelous scenery. As wonderful as the atmosphere appears on TV, it is incredible to be there at the Tour in person. The sounds, the people, the towns, and the rush of excitement as the caravan, riders and team cars pass by - the Tour de France is simply fabulous.

What is new in 2012?

Helmets

What is up with the yellow helmets? This year the Tour organizers have asked the teams to bring extra yellow helmets just in case the team is in the lead for the team classification. That is correct, the order went out to all teams to pack an extra 9 yellow helmets. Team Sky got to wear their inventory of yellow helmets on day one, designating the team as leading in the team classification. People either like or hate the visual that the new yellow helmets create in the peloton. I like the concept since the other classifications have special jerseys and I tend to overlook which team is in the lead, but I'm not sure about over-using the color yellow. Sure new helmets are a low-cost easy solution to highlight the team, and give more exposure to team helmet sponsors, but they diminish the tradition of the maillot jaune helmet.

All the riders on Team Sky have new yellow Kask helmets
 

Update: If you are wondering what that helmet cover on Mark Cavendish's helmet during Stage 2 (not stage 1) was all about - Cavendish believes the cover to be more aero. He wore a helmet cover when he won his world championship title last year. I am impressed that Team Sky thought to bring the yellow cover with them, but maybe they had big hopes of someone being in the yellow jersey. Probably more likely than wishing the entire team would be in yellow helmets. Which reminds me, how long will this new yellow helmet rule be in place. Is this a trial rule, or a rule that is here to stay?

Yes even road helmets are turning aero; read about the development of the new Air Attack helmet by Giro and Tour de France teams go aero for Monday's expected bunch sprint, by CyclingWeekly. CyclingWeekly reported that Team Sky, Rabobank, Lott-Belisol, and Garmin-Sharp were a few of the teams using differing forms of aero covers, ventless helmets or the new Air Attack aero helmets. The new Giro helmets are said to be available to consumers next spring, for around $200.

Robobank's Bram Tankink in his new Giro Air Attack helmet - he looks like a skateboarder

Another unique helmet is worn by Sammy Sanchez, who wears a gold helmet (not yellow, but glistening gold, with Olympic rings) marking him as the current Olympic gold medalist in road cycling. Sanchez also wears gold shoes.

Jerseys

In addition to the classification jerseys (yellow, green, polka-dot, white) and the team jerseys, you will notice a few other unique jerseys. When racing a road stage the current World and National Champions will wear their country jerseys. When racing the time trial, the current time trial champions will wear their national skinsuits. Who are the world and national champions in the 2012 Tour de France?

World Champion

• Road: Mark Cavendish (Sky) - Great Britain
• Time Trial: Tony Martin - Germany

Road National Champions (see full list of champions, by Inrng)

• Peter Sagan (Liquigas) - Slovakia
• Edvald Bossan-Hagen (Sky) - Norway
• Simon Gerrans (Orics-GreenEDGE) - Australia
• Yauheni Hutarovich (FDJ-BigMat)  - Belarus
• Borut Božič (Astana) - Slovania
• Eduard Vorganov (Katusha) - Russia
• Andriy Grivko (Astana) - Ukraine
• Robbie Hunter (Garmin-Sharp) - South Africa

Time Trial National Champions

• Fabian Cancellara (RSNT) - Switzerland
• David Zabriskie (Garmin-Sharp) - United States
• Luis Leon Sanchez (Rabobank) - Spain

There are plenty of colored armbands in the peloton, these mark the former national and world champions. What an honor it must be to wear ones country colors on a jersey sleeve or collar for the remainder of a career. You will notice the RadioShack Nissan Trek team wearing the yellow Livestrong cancer awareness armband on their left sleeve. Yellow in color, the band has nothing to do with the Tour de France. Note that all apparel and logo advertisement on jerseys must be pre-approved by race organizers - that was the reason for the delay and subsequent fine to the RadioShack team on the last stage in 2010 when the team changed jerseys to honor cancer patients. Noble, but not allowed.

The classification jerseys for 2012 Tour de France are no longer made by Nike, the yellow, green, polka-dot and white jerseys are now manufactured by Le Coq Sportif (read more Tour de France Jerseys by velopeloton).

Tejay van Garederen (BMC) in his new Le Coq Sportif best young rider's white jersey

A few teams presented with new jerseys for the Tour de France. Garmin-Sharp and SaxoBank-Tinkoff both have new sponsors and thus new jerseys. Team Orica-GreenEDGE updated their jerseys to better reflect sponsor colors. Other team jerseys can be seen here: 2012 ProTour Team Jerseys by Pedal Dancer.

New Garmin-Sharp team jersey

New Saxo Bank-Tinkoff team jersey

New Orica-GreenEDGE team jersey

Dossards (bib numbers) 

Fans can also garner more information by reviewing a rider's number. Yellow background denotes the current team classification leaders (the entire team wears numbers on a yellow background). Red background is worn by the rider awarded the most aggressive title from the previous day's stage. Dossard #13 is often worn upside down to ward off superstition. Number one, of course, is worn by last year's winner Cadel Evans. The composition of the dossard number describes both the team number and the rider number - please read more about dossards at this very popular Pedal Dancer post Word of the Day: Dossard (you might learn something new).

Bikes

Isn't it amazing how quickly the equipment suppliers show up with a yellow helmet, yellow glasses, and yellow bike whenever there is a change in the general classification leader? Fabian Cancellara was fully yellow-out by the beginning of Stage 1.  That special yellow bike always miraculously appears for the yellow jersey wearer. Usually a few frames will be produced by bike manufacturers in limited numbers. See images of Fabian Cancellara's new Trek bike build on facebook, or on Fabian Cancellara's Trek Domane 6-Series Maillot Jaune by BikeRadar.com

Fabian Cancellara's new yellow Trek bike for the Tour de France

George Hincapie was given a specially designed bike to honor his record setting participation in his 17th Tour de France. The details on the bike are personal and fantastic - gold and gray are the colors of the bike. See images of George Hincapie's new Trek bike build on facebook, or on George Hincapie's 'Gentleman's Round' BMC TeamMachine SLR01, by BikeRadar.com

George Hincapie's new bike for the 2012 Tour de France has special graphics.

Cadel Evans also rides his yellow and black BMC bike. Consumers can buy 1 of only 141 of these special SLR01 frames made by BMC. Again, there is almost too much yellow in the peloton this year.

BMC SLR01 Yellow Cadel Evans limited edition bike

Peter Sagan has a new Cannondale EVO Supersix bike for the Tour de France called the "Tourminator"

Peter Sagan's new Cannondale EVO Supersix Tourminator bike

Philippe Gilbert's Belgium flag highlighted BMC bike

Giro winner Ryder Hesjedal's Cervelo Canadian flag graphics bike

Scenery

Today we were in Belgium, riding through the Ardennes, a green hilly region well known for it's historic battles. The helicopter views looked like a movie set, although I am aware that most towns would probably not want their town thought of as a war movie-set. I became a big fan of Belgium after my last visit in April for the Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix. Although I am returning this year to the Alps, Provence, and Pyrenees of France, next time I go back, I want to see much more of north-western France and Belgium. I was very interested in the mix of history and land.

Where are we going this year in the Tour de France? As we all know, many, dare we say most, fans tune in to watch the scenery. In the course of 3-weeks we will see large cities, small towns, mountains, cobbles, castles, sea and vineyards. 

This first week we will spend a chunk of time in the north.

map of week one Tour de France  (map from LeParisien)

Next week we will do a quick fly over in the Alps, a day in Switzerland, followed by more time in the Rhone River Valley (yeah vineyards!).

map of week two Tour de France  (map from LeParisien)

The final week we spend time in the south of France in the mighty Pyrenees, with a final time trial just outside the city of Paris before the final ceremonial procession into the grand city on July 22nd.

map of week three Tour de France  (map from LeParisien)

map of final two stages Tour de France  (map from LeParisien)

Between the current Olympic trials, Tour de France, and the Olympics in London - this summer we have a lot of fun to look forward to. 

I leave Colorado on July 9th ... in route to Lyon. France here I come!

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