Best cycle climbs in Europe
martin56
Posts: 213
I'm looking for a good book on the best Climb in Europe and hopefully all relevant info on how to get there where to stay bad bits good bits etc etc.
Still going at fifty!But for how mutch longer
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100 climbs by simon warren is bringing out a European one this year I believe, always a good write up as he actually rides them all0
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Depends if you mean best or most iconic? If the latter then you need to look at the climbs done most often by the Tour and the Giro.0
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Mountain High is a great bit of hillporn. Features most of the iconic climbs of the GTs and one-day classics etc.
I haven't yet got the Mountain Higher book - which focuses on some lesser known climbs.0 -
+ 1 for Mountain High
It also features my local big col in Italy "col del Nivolet"... a beautiful road that goes all the way up to the 2600 mt of the col... and then finishes there... :shock: used in the film "the italian job" for the final scenes.left the forum March 20230 -
madasahattersley wrote:I've not been round much but Sa Calobra is the best I've done by a long way, and you can compare your times to Wiggo!
+1, has to up there in anyone's Top 10 European climbs (and descents!)
My descent of 2012 here!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xp7770IvaoA0 -
+ another one for mountain high.
You might also want to have a look at 'ride a stage go the tour de France' by Kristian Bauer. This is more of a guide on how to go about riding the legendary climbs of the tour.0 -
Picked up Mountain High ISBN 978-1-78087-755-6 For £4.99 in an independent book shop (Strays in Newark on Trent) for £4.99 before Xmas
(they still have copies and I believe on line ordering) . This is the saddlebag edition and its superb, outlines 50 great European climbs with Maps, Profiles, lengths and heights (categorised by 1000 metre plus all the way up to 3000 metre) plus a short history on each climb.
Cant find the Col del Nivolet in it so reckon mine must be a concise version (saddlebag edition) so now going to look out for the full edition.0 -
+1 for Mountain High, I have the Saddle Bag edition, I prefer it yo the Rapha Books!0
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The Nivolet is in Mountain Higher. The climb is on the other side of the Iseran road that goes thro' Val d'Isere but is narrow and stops dead.M.Rushton0
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mrushton wrote:The Nivolet is in Mountain Higher. The climb is on the other side of the Iseran road that goes thro' Val d'Isere but is narrow and stops dead.
Yep, that's the one... confused the two.
Yeah, the Nivolet is in the region I come from. Strangely enough it is still on my to do list... it is a very long climb from the very bottom, about 40 Km and a lot more from my hometown, would proable drive to the bottom... and there is a 3 Km tunnel uphill which I really can't face. Apparently it is avoidable, using the old road which has not been maintained for many years. Now that I have a cross bike, it's proable passable and I have an extra incentive to bag the col, but I also have to find the right time. The road is only open June to October and I normally go to Italy in April and sometimes in September/October... so small window of opportunity if the weather holds.
Being more ambitious, one could descent on the opposite side towards the Val d'Aosta region... apparently the road is missing only for 5-6 Km and there is a well kept walking path, possibly doable with a cross bike, certainly doable with a mountain bike. It is one of the oldest National parks in Italy, with marmots, mountain goats and unspoiled nature...
left the forum March 20230 -
ugo.santalucia wrote:mrushton wrote:The Nivolet is in Mountain Higher. The climb is on the other side of the Iseran road that goes thro' Val d'Isere but is narrow and stops dead.
Yep, that's the one... confused the two.
Yeah, the Nivolet is in the region I come from. Strangely enough it is still on my to do list... it is a very long climb from the very bottom, about 40 Km and a lot more from my hometown, would proable drive to the bottom... and there is a 3 Km tunnel uphill which I really can't face. Apparently it is avoidable, using the old road which has not been maintained for many years. Now that I have a cross bike, it's proable passable and I have an extra incentive to bag the col, but I also have to find the right time. The road is only open June to October and I normally go to Italy in April and sometimes in September/October... so small window of opportunity if the weather holds.
Being more ambitious, one could descent on the opposite side towards the Val d'Aosta region... apparently the road is missing only for 5-6 Km and there is a well kept walking path, possibly doable with a cross bike, certainly doable with a mountain bike. It is one of the oldest National parks in Italy, with marmots, mountain goats and unspoiled nature...
fantastic region. Been climbing in the Aosta Valley, rock rather than on a bike though. Remember thinking that |should like to go back with bike in hand.0 -
Garry H wrote:fantastic region. Been climbing in the Aosta Valley, rock rather than on a bike though. Remember thinking that |should like to go back with bike in hand.
Valle d'Aosta has many long and tough climbs, but because most of them are dead end, the Giro has mostly ignored it over the years.
There aren't many loops you can do without having to retrace your steps... among the circular routes, my favourite are
1) Col Tzecore-Col De Joux bagged in the same ride in a circular ride starting from Verres clockwise (hard!) or anti clockwise (bit easier)
2) Col St Pantaleon from Chambave and back the opposite side (Torgnon)... the view over the Matterhorn from the col is breath taking
2) Colle San Carlo- La Thuile and down the Petit St Bernard roadleft the forum March 20230 -
if you get a Michelin Local map (#333 I think) of the Isere/Savoie area you'll find all the climbs you want both iconic and unknown. The Bauges/Beaufortain/Tarentaise areas have lots of them. Some are dead end roads tho' to ski stations. So the 30km uphill to Valmorel is a 30km descent.M.Rushton0
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ugo.santalucia wrote:
Smashing shot that...0 -
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Secteur wrote:
Yes, not sure about super fit though - skinny perhaps?!
My 2 brother-in-laws (work as crew on a yacht in Palma) were filming from the car. Both crazy Cornish surfers!0 -
bernithebiker wrote:Secteur wrote:
Yes, not sure about super fit though - skinny perhaps?!
Well you look like a pro to me!0 -
+1 for Mountain High and Mountain Higher, and Pete is a really nice bloke too.And major +1 to the Savoie and Aosta, which are next to each other. I had a lovely day last year, up the Col du Pt St Bernard, down to Morgex, up Colle San Carlo, down to La Thuile, back up Col du PSB, home. The PSB is my daily run, but it is too flat, so go up from D902, turn off to la Rosiere after Ste Foy Tarentaise, do the Col by taking the highest road each time you have a choice, and you can do the first half at more like 10% than 5.0
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jaxf wrote:+1 for Mountain High and Mountain Higher, and Pete is a really nice bloke too.And major +1 to the Savoie and Aosta, which are next to each other. I had a lovely day last year, up the Col du Pt St Bernard, down to Morgex, up Colle San Carlo, down to La Thuile, back up Col du PSB, home. The PSB is my daily run, but it is too flat, so go up from D902, turn off to la Rosiere after Ste Foy Tarentaise, do the Col by taking the highest road each time you have a choice, and you can do the first half at more like 10% than 5.
Not a bad day out... the San Carlo is a tough climb... the EPO fuelled Basso and Simoni in 2006 made it look easy, but it's a beast for non dopersleft the forum March 20230 -
One of the worst climbs I've ever done. The San Carlo is a brute imo. 10.5km at 10% average and the bends aren't flat so no respite until the last 500m. Swore I'd never do it again. The descent to Morgex claimed one cyclists life so a ride that needs some respectM.Rushton0
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Aaaw, I thought it was delightful. Wooded for much the of the way up so nice shade, never more then 16% and that briefly, more like 8-11 most of it, delightfully precise signs all the way up, nice and short, only about 10km. Missing it already, and really hope my knee repairs fast enough from its op that I can do it again in the summer.0
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Just a minor one, but no less enjoyable - the Col de Rousset in Rhône-Alps. Only about 800m ascent over 19km (about an hour to climb), but very quiet most of the time, and gives stunning views, as well as you being able to keep on getting glances of the top on your way up. And a lovely view at the top as a reward, and a cracking descent too, with plenty of interest and long straight bits between the hairpins. Not a classic, perhaps, but worth a visit in between Ventoux and the Alps proper.
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xp7770IvaoA
