What is the Col du Galibier like to ride? A GUIDE

polkadotcycling
polkadotcycling Posts: 14
edited April 2012 in Sportives/audaxes/training rides
We've just written a guide on what it's like to ride the Galibier and bit of Tour history as well, for anyone who has never ridden the giant:

http://www.polkadotcycling.com/latest-n ... -galibier/

If you are doing the Marmotte we've also done some guides on the Glandon, Telegraphe and Alpe d'huez too.
There is nothing like the incredible feeling of summiting a Tour climb with blue skies all around and the sun on your back.

Comments

  • Brian B
    Brian B Posts: 2,071
    Nice write up - i have done it in the marmotte recently and on my own almost a decade ago. Great climb and more so if you tag the telegrapgh onto it. Makes me want to do it again but there are lots of climbs I want to do abroad again. :lol:
    Brian B.
  • polkadotcycling
    polkadotcycling Posts: 14
    Thanks Brian, glad you enjoyed the article. There are so many great climbs in the Alps and abroad in general as you say and especially with the UK weather as it is at the moment, it does make you wish you were there doesn't it!
    There is nothing like the incredible feeling of summiting a Tour climb with blue skies all around and the sun on your back.
  • NoMoreShadows
    NoMoreShadows Posts: 36
    polkadotcycling wrote:
    We've just written a guide on what it's like to ride the Galibier and bit of Tour history as well, for anyone who has never ridden the giant:

    http://www.polkadotcycling.com/latest-n ... -galibier/

    If you are doing the Marmotte we've also done some guides on the Glandon, Telegraphe and Alpe d'huez too.

    Thanks for that concise review. No doubt I'll come back to it before I ride La Marmotte in a few months time.
    http://lamarmotte2012.blogspot.com/
  • holmeboy
    holmeboy Posts: 674
    The day I went up from the Laurentaut side, it was thick fog and I never seen very much.
  • wallace_and_gromit
    wallace_and_gromit Posts: 3,067
    I was dreading the Galibier in the Marmotte last year, given it's length. It is, however, a climb of three distinct (uneven) thirds from Valloire.

    There's a km at 9% to start, which obviously requires some effort.

    Then there's a long steady section to Plan Lachet, which is really quite easy (5%/6% gradients) when blessed with a tailwind as we were. This took 45 minutes or so, and felt like "free" height gain, as I was spinning all the way.

    Finally, there's 8k at 8% through the lunar landscape above Plan Lachet, which was hard work, but very manageable given the modest (relative) efforts involved for the 45 minutes beforehand. I stopped to stretch my back near the top and the views back down towards Valloire are stunning.

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