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1800KM photo essay at Elcyclista.com

from the Rapha book “The Great Road Climbs of the Pyrenees”

L´incontournable … The unavoidable

back home!

from the Rapha book: Great Road Climbs of the Pyrenees

From Mendive up to the Col de Burdincurutcheta, first km 11%, second 11,5%, third 10,5%, fourth 11%, from there down to the forests of Iraty and up to the Col de Bagargui, total 17km from Mendive.

wonderful narrow roads

descending to Larrau

the route

crazy day, I thought I will have a easy go, but I missed some small cols when I planed (on the michelin map) my ride yesterday!

From Barcus: Croix D´Aguerret, only 487m high, but! but around 3-4km terrible steep going! something like the last kilometers of Marie Blanque hard side, farmers in the valle told me: dont go up there, TOO steep!

Col de Lecharria 832m, from Alcay, wonderful narrow ride without any traffic, steep! around 7-8km, the road from Alcay to Mendive is wonderland! if your in Oloron a must!

From Mendive up to the Col de Burdincurutcheta, first km 11%, second 11,5%, third 10,5%, fourth 11%, from there down to the forests of Iraty and up to the Col de Bagargui, total 17km from Mendive.

around 140km, marvelous landscape! to traffic roads, dont go when the sun is out, most of the ride is open to the sun, I was lucky very cloudy day with some rain.

Oloron St. Marie – Esquiule – Barcus – Croix D´Aguerret – Tardets Sorholous – Alcay – Col de Lecharria – Col de Aphanize (back to the same road D417) Mendive – Col de Burdincurutcheta – Col de Bagargui – Larrau – Aramits – Oloron St. Marie

more pictures at flickr Pyrenees 2010

bigger version

heavy legs, around 1400km since 29.07 ;)

Dessert Land at Col Pierre St. Martin

Tour on Bikemaps

Oloron St. Marie – Bedous – Athas – Col de Bouezou – Col de Labays – Col de Pierre St. Martin – Isaba (Spain) – Ustrarroz – Alto de Laza – Puerto de Larrau – Larrau – Montory – Aramits – Oloron St. Marie

around 157km, Spain was hardcore, I was very hungry in Isaba, eat too much, had to climb Puerto de Larrau feeling heavy … and then there was the sun! man, what a sun! VERY HOT!

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Col de Marie Blanque – Plateau de Bénou

2km to go, Col de Marie Blanque, 13%

Oloron st. Marie – Asasp – Sarrance – Bedous – Osse en Aspe – Col de Houratate – Issor – Escot – Col de Marie Blanque – Bielle – Arudy – Bois du Bager – Gurmencon – Bidos – Oloron St. Marie,  around 110-120km

“As far as these Pyrenees climb go, I think the Col de Marie Blanque is one of the hardest there is. It´s only 10km long but there are 4-5km that really make you suffer. You will need a 19 to 23to get up this one. A 21 is no good” Fernando Escartin

from the Rapha book: The Great Road Climbs Of The Pyrenees

The western approach begins at Escot, off the N134-E7, a green line route follwing the deep Défile d´Escot. 9,4km to the col, height gained 705m, average gradient 7,5%. If the introduction is gentle enough – 5km varying from 2-6% – the remainder is severe: 8, 11.5, 11.5, 11.5, 11. The lower slopes are very exposed to the sun, the final section shaded by flanking woods, the summit recently shorn of trees. ….

Argeles Gazost – Silhen – Boo Silhen – Lugagnan – Aspin en L. – Ossen – Ségus – Lourdes – Lestelle Bétharram – Asson – Ferriers – Col de Spandelles – Argeles Gazost

around 90km in haensel & gretel territory, no traffic at all climbing Col de Spandelles, if you dont like gravel, then the wonderful Col de Spandelles with its very narrow road is not for you.

valle going to Ferriers, way to climb Col de Spanedelles or Col du Solour

I was hoping for rain this morning, so I would have an excuse to not go up there…. but no rain…

Argelés Gazost – Luz st. Sauveur – Col de Tourmalet – Sant Marie de Campan – Bagneres de Bigorre – Lourdes – Argelés Gazost

110km

myself at Col du Tourmalet

another landscape Col du Tourmalet

from the Rapha book: Great Road Climbs of the Pyrenees

“”Luz to Saint Sauveur is a good place in which to stock up with provisions.
A steep climb out of town and a sign warns “18km average 6%” to the col.
This is grossly misleading: the first kilometer to Esterre is 5%, the rest of the way never falls below 7% and is mostly hovers round 7-9%…..

at 4,5km to go the road swings more sinuously, and at 4km you will see the final ramps up to the famous Tourmalet café. this is encouraging. the terrain all around is harsh and bleak, bare rock, no vegetation, huge cornices of stone to right and left, the antennae masts of the Pic du Midi de Bigorre now prominent. the long approach up the valley is probably one of the more demoralizing rides in theses mountains, but the reward of getting to these last kilometers, taxing and slow to unfold as they will almost certainly be, is supreme. none of the hors gatégorie (to high to be categorized) cols is ever
easily won, but the grandeur of the Tourmalet is a very manifest prize. you see it, and you get steadily closer, you claim it. there is a puerile diversion in toying with the maths: 8% =80m gained per kilometer, but by this time you are habituated, somehow, to the severe gradient. patience and nerves will be sorely tested, as heart, lungs and legs, but the proximity of the col is a powerful lure and the moment of turning the final left hand bend, imagining that the last ramp is going to be the horribly long and horribly steep, is grand. the ramp is neither as long nor, in truth, as steep as feared and, quittingthe 9% you´ve just cleared, you ride up exultantly to that ecstatic moment on the line of tarmac where the road bends its head towards the descent from the Col du Tourmalet.”"

bigger version ;)

Argelés Gazost – Ayros – Boo Silhen – Geu – Lugagnan – Juncalas – Arrodets – Neuilh – Soulagnets – Bagneres de Bigorre – Antist – Lourdes – Argelés Gazost

ca. 80-85km

very nice route between Lugagnan and Bagneres de Bigorre, wonderful.

the pictures above has to be seen BIG

Argelés Gazost – Lourdes – Lestelle Bétharram – Arthez d´Asson – Ferrriers – Col du Solour – Col du Aubisque – Louvie Soubiron – Louvie Juzon – Lestelle Bétharram – Lourdes – Argelés Gazost
162km
again wonderland, from Lestelle Bétharram through the valle to Ferriers up to Col du Solour and Col de Aubsique, impressive!

Ullrich still riding? ;)

after moving with the car from Bagneres to Luchon to Argelès-Gazost, I made an very easy 2h ride to relax the legs. by car I passed the Tourmalet. amazing touristic show, not sure if I will ride the Tourmalet, cars, cars, cars!!!! like a BIG SMOKING METALL-SNAKE going up the mountain… smell of gasoline and burining clutches…horrible.

on the list: Col de Solour, Col de Aubisque, Col de Spandelles,

many times I feel like in wonderland… amazing untouched landscapes.

Bagneres de Luchon – Col de Col de Peyresourde – Arreau – Col de Aspin – St. Marie de Campan – Asté – Gerde – Marsas – Bulan – Esparros – Héches – Mazouau – Nestier – Aventignan – St. Bertrand de Comminges – Izaourt – Bagneres de Luchon

160km
rain rain rain, cold cold cold…. ;(

another impression, near St. Bertrand de Comminges

in Arreau I thought, forget the Aspin, cut the way, looser or hero ;) but then I did the Aspin.
happy now.

resting day ;) tomorrow Col de Peyresourde and Col de Aspin

bigger version

Bagneres de Luchon – Fronsac – Antichan de Frontignes – Col de Ares – Aspet – Col de Larrieu – Bataille – Col de Péréz – Castelbiague – Maurezin – St. Girons – Audressein – St. Lary – Col de Portet de Aspet – Col de Ares – Fronsac – Bagneres de Luchon

amazing trip in wonderland, again, narrow roads without any car traffic. the early morning, rain, cloudy, hummed, clouds, sun …..something like Hansel and Gretel (German: Hänsel und Gretel) fairy tale in the clouds.

168km says the map, no km counter. no idea about vertical climb since I did not plan the route in bikemaps.net

Tarascon sur Ariege – Saurat – Col de Port – Massat – Soueix Rogalle – Oust – Aulus les Bains – Col de Agnes brrrr!!!! 8,2% average climb on 10km – Capulet et Junac – Tarascon sur Ariege

around 117km vertical climb 2300m

fog adventures at Col de Agnes

Ax les Thermes – Col de Chiouia – Belclaire – Col des Moris – Col de Montsegur – Mountferrier – Col de la Cauze – Celles – Route de Corniches – Col de Marmare – Ax les Thermes

147km, vertical climb around 3200m

wonderful… wonderful… narrow roads without traffic.

©stefan rohner

today around 127km, vertical climb 3200m, says google. Ax les Thermes – first time  Col du Pradel impressive climb! – Axat – Port de Pailheres – Ax les Thermes, some cool downhill, max 87km/h and some ugly new asphalt climbing Port de Pailheres from Axat, around 6km of deep gravel! wheels not moving, sinking into the gravel. here another Pailheres impression + Gartenzwerge and Madonnas. …….and Jesus

After around 15 years, back in bike to the french pyrenees, sleeping in the van, Tourmalet, Solour, Aubisque, Aspin, Garavel, Pailhères, Pradel, Col de Port, Route de Corniches and more great routes are waiting. About Route de Corniches I found out with The Great Road Climbs of the Pyrenees.