Col Du Tourmalet

dansmith827

I am after a bit of advice here.

I am in France this August and will be driving to the Pyrenees to ride the Col du Tourmalet from Luz Saint Saveur. I am a very experienced cyclist having road biked and MTB'ed in the UK for years. I have a few Strava KOMS under my belt! I am a 16 stone sprinter really who is not quick up hills. so I have a few questions for this climb having never ridden a mountain before.

1) I have a compact 34/40 chainset with a 11-27 cassette, would you put a lower ratio cassette on the rear say a 30T?
2) any Advice on the best route up or just pick the strava segments?
3) Just how hard is riding up the French mountains, the Tour TV pics looks a bit deceiving as the gradient never really shows on the TV, I imagine it to be super hard!

Any advice or opinions or good luck wishes would be really appreciated.

Dan.

lochindaal

Hi Dan

The Tourmalet is a really nice climb but like an major mountain climb it is hard (or as hard as you want to make it). As you say you have done a lot of cycling I'm sure you'll physically make it. What you can't be prepared for is mentally how long these mountains go on for. From LSS you will cycle for 18km with no flat bits so be prepared. What's your goal? Do it in one or have a few rests and take more time.


1) You should be OK. If you have a 30 then put it on but I wouldn't buy one especially. i cycled up with my wife who was on a standard double. We had to stop a few times but she made it.
2) There is only one real way up until you get to Super Barage. It splits to the right or straight on. Personally I think straight on is the more scenic route.
3) Hard. Always a good reality check to cycle one of the mountains after watching the Tour to realise why you are not a pro

Make sure you have a couple of full water bottles. There are shops at barage and a restaurant 4km from teh summit if you need more. If it is hot you will need it.

Remember it will probably take 60-90mins as a ride

dansmith827

Thanks for the quick reply there,

I will probably get a 30 as I like to spin up a hill, I am a high cadence climber. Just found out the roads have been destroyed! trying to see if they will be repaired. in time, or [possibly climb from the other side

marcusjb

dansmith827 wrote:

Thanks for the quick reply there,

I will probably get a 30 as I like to spin up a hill, I am a high cadence climber. Just found out the roads have been destroyed! trying to see if they will be repaired. in time, or [possibly climb from the other side

Yes - the roads are still very much under repair. I am led to believe they are now passable by road bike - but you certainly will not be riding on tarmac all the way up quite yet. The French authorities have done an amazing job considering the devastation the area has suffered.

Possibly by the time you are there, they will have laid tarmac all the way, not sure. I am there in September, so hoping that it's all coming back to normal (but also remembering that riding a bike up a hill is very unimportant compared to the loss of life and livelihoods the area has endured).

T.C.

60-90 mins !! I did it last year I took 2 h 18 . found it hard, its a grind I did it non stop - I did the stelvio in 2.45 this year -I find them relentless -but great feeling when you do them

Scrumple

Did the other side this summer in under an hour and a half with plenty to spare.
Uses a standard with a 28 so you will be fine in what you have.

Just get a pace you can do and keep going. And going. It is steep all the way and gets steeper but the way to look at it is that you are nearer the end when it ramps up!

Loads of people get to the top. Just don't go too hard and possibly get a hr measure to make sure you stay below popping. I kept well under my top zone just to be safe and now fancy a pop at full tilt.

No idea about the other side as it was shut.

Mr Dog

Just got home yesterday from Luz. The good news is all climbs are open. The Tourmalet west accent is open but that side of the mountain has been smashed up pretty badly. The road is open to cars on a weekend and on inspection I decided to drive to the other side and climb from the east taking in the Aspin as well. Unless your riding a hire bike then the surface in some sections is not suitable for road bikes. The decent would be ruined.
The east climb I found a lot easier than the west but I'm a bit fitter than two years ago
Try all the climbs if you have time, pop into the tourist office in the town square and get a free map.
My phone gps hated the mountains and of the seven HC climbs it only recorded two.. maybe a Garmin is better I don't know. Take a larger cassette than you need so your legs don't get ripped off rendering you useless the next day. Climb early in the morning when the air is still and the sun has yet to come up. Ardiden Cycles in the square are English owned and have all the gels etc you'll need ( and a hire for the west side if your crazy enough ). Try the col de Tentes from Luz, it gets less crowded and tougher.

Hope you have a great time. If you need anymore info just ask.

mididoctors

take the 30T

dusk

I just did the Aspin and Tourmalet with a triple and 11-27 cassette, I couldn't have done it without the lower gearing

stash36

I did the climb from Luz yesteday and it's very much open, although the road is very gravelly low down by the river due to the heavy machinery there repairing the roads. It makes for a tough start and a careful descent at this section.