Can you name the Climb?

takethehighroad

I know I've not guessed one, but I saw this yesterday. The two clues I'll give are that it featured on the route of this year's Tour de France and this picture was taken yesterday morning (7th Dec)

The Kennington Kaiser

Mr Goo wrote:

Is that in the Pyrenees somewhere?

phreak

The Kennington Kaiser wrote:

Mr Goo wrote:

Is that in the Pyrenees somewhere?

I initially thought it might be the Passo Erbe but not at all convinced.

The Kennington Kaiser

It looks familiar, reminds me a bit of the lower part of the Joux Plane which just seems to meander amongst the fields on either side, but the background doesn't look Alpine enough, hence my question about the Pyrenees.

Dippydog3

Bad picture, but if you have done it you know it.

ridgerider

The Kennington Kaiser wrote:

It looks familiar, reminds me a bit of the lower part of the Joux Plane which just seems to meander amongst the fields on either side, but the background doesn't look Alpine enough, hence my question about the Pyrenees.

Another vote for Joux Plane...

deejay

knedlicky wrote:

phreak wrote:

Gotthard pass?

Quite right! It's the old pass road as it descends to Airolo. This was taken on a Thursday late morning in the first half of September, and I think I only encountered 2 cars and 2 motorbikes on the descent, but by contrast about 8 bikes.

I think the picture is not from the top as I remember a lot more tighter bends near the top. !
I had to climb this before the new road and tunnel because it was the route to go North and it was busier then.
(I like Lugano)

deejay

deejay wrote:

FJS wrote:

What about this?

Possibly Mont Cassel. ?

FJS wrote:

Nope, not Mt Casssel

And Not

Crampeur wrote:

The Citadel in Namur?

Sorry I'm Lost and so is everybody else it seems.
The second photo seems to have a river at the bottom.??
I havn't got a book so I give up but I'm sure you will give me the Screaming Ad Dabs if you ever reveal the answer.

takethehighroad

I'm guessing it's somewhere in Holland, based on the shape of the cobbles and the Skil rider.

I don't know enough climbs in Holland to have a proper guess though. Is the Eiserbosweg in AGR? If so, that's my guess

FJS

Yes, it's in Holland, but not Amstel Gold territory.

deejay

FJS wrote:

Yes, it's in Holland, but not Amstel Gold territory.

Maybe not but it is on the Veenendaal course, perhaps.
I ridden through the woods on race day but that's the best I can do.
That was in the days that it followed Fleche.

knedlicky

deejay wrote:

knedlicky wrote:

phreak wrote:

Gotthard pass?

Quite right! It's the old pass road as it descends to Airolo. This was taken on a Thursday late morning in the first half of September, and I think I only encountered 2 cars and 2 motorbikes on the descent, but by contrast about 8 bikes.

I think the picture is not from the top as I remember a lot more tighter bends near the top. !
I had to climb this before the new road and tunnel because it was the route to go North and it was busier then.
(I like Lugano)

You’re right that the photo isn’t from the top, but it’s still from fairly high up.

Coming down from the top, the first km is three long straights one after the other, then come 24 hairpins. This photo is taken between hairpins 14 and 15 counting down from the highest, so about 3 km from the top.
I wouldn’t say the bends nearer the top are any tighter than the bends in the photo.

After these 24 hairpins, there are three more long straights – in the photo, the beginning of the first can be seen in the distance on the other side of the narrow valley – before the final descent to Airolo starts. This bottom few kms has 9-10 more hairpins and several not-quite-so-tight curves, before a final long straight into Airolo, 12.5 km from the top.

(I’ll second your liking for Lugano. On a Sunday morning, when there is little traffic, I like the road around the peninsula to the south through Morcote, perhaps for a longer harder ride also adding on the climb to the Parco San Grato.)

Le Commentateur

:twisted:

FJS

Le Commentateur wrote:

:twisted:

That'll be the Scanuppia. Most horrible climb anywhere?

FJS

deejay wrote:

deejay wrote:

FJS wrote:

What about this?

Possibly Mont Cassel. ?

FJS wrote:

Nope, not Mt Casssel

And Not

Crampeur wrote:

The Citadel in Namur?

Sorry I'm Lost and so is everybody else it seems.
The second photo seems to have a river at the bottom.??
I havn't got a book so I give up but I'm sure you will give me the Screaming Ad Dabs if you ever reveal the answer.

Right, perhaps this was a tad too obscure. It's the Kopje van Bloemendaal; the Dutch Box Hill/Monte Serra/Col de la Madone - a much used training climb. It's a dune all of 40 meter high, but the only hill near Amsterdam, so all the pros and no-pros based in and around Amsterdam use it for training; Niki Terpstra, Rick Flens, Jens Mouris, in the past Gerrie Knetemann. Time Krabbe has written a couple of short stories about it

FJS

OK, a better known one

rc856

Dippydog3 wrote:

Bad picture, but if you have done it you know it.

Is that in Majorca for starters?

The Kennington Kaiser

FJS wrote:

OK, a better known one

That looks one of those in Mountain High. I must admit to cheating a little and checking the book. Looks similiar to the Lagos de Cavadonga photo. Do I get half a point?

FJS

The Kennington Kaiser wrote:

FJS wrote:

OK, a better known one

That looks one of those in Mountain High. I must admit to cheating a little and checking the book. Looks similiar to the Lagos de Cavadonga photo. Do I get half a point?

Full points, as far as I'm concerned

deejay

FJS wrote:

Right, perhaps this was a tad too obscure. It's the Kopje van Bloemendaal; the Dutch Box Hill/Monte Serra/Col de la Madone - a much used training climb. It's a dune all of 40 meter high, but the only hill near Amsterdam, so all the pros and no-pros based in and around Amsterdam use it for training; Niki Terpstra, Rick Flens, Jens Mouris, in the past Gerrie Knetemann. Time Krabbe has written a couple of short stories about it

I seem to remember your Location used to be listed as Amsterdam so I'm not surprised about your local knowledge.
I switched off early last night and I recognised Lago Covadonga as I've watched the Vuelta on TV for over 20 years.
I think the race finish is from where the photo is taken or the bottom right hand corner the road bears left and right to get to that place.
No screaming Ad Dabs for me then as I've never been to Amsterdam and it will remain as one of my boxes without a tick.

DeVlaeminck

mr_goo

Mr Goo wrote:

As a clue. This is in French Alps. Don't think it has featured in TdF for a few years.

mm1

Cormet de roseland?

theknowledge

Joux Plane?

briantrumpet

briantrumpet wrote:

No ideas? Here's a view looking the other way. The col is at 2083 metres, if that's any help.

shazzz

Croix de Fer?

briantrumpet

shazzz wrote:

Croix de Fer?

Nope.

Mad_Malx

DeVlaeminck wrote:

Strade Bianchi somewhere?

mr_goo

theknowledge wrote:

Joux Plane?

Yes indeedy. My first ever Alpine climb, started at 7 in morning whilst very quiet and cool. .Quite fantastic to see Mont Blanc as one climbs to the cafe and lake at the top.

I reckon the climb on other side of valley to the Ski Station is harder, 'Plateau de Saix'. It has never featured in any pro race as it would have to be a stage finish (dead end).



Top: 1626 m
Average gradient: 9.2 %

t4tomo

briantrumpet wrote:

briantrumpet wrote:

No ideas? Here's a view looking the other way. The col is at 2083 metres, if that's any help.

Mont Cenis?