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Breakfast with Julien (and too much leftovers from yesterday). Weather supposed to be good today. Départ around 8:45.
Mountain stage II. The first climb is the one I fear most, especially the middle section, with 5 km at 8.5% (with a maximum slope of 12%), the third one is the (partly) unknown one. And it starts right from the start!
Start of the first climb
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Beautiful morning
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View back to yesterday's trajectory |
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Beautiful views
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All around
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Perfect morning
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Colleagues
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However, my fear turns unfounded with the gears I have. The climb is exciting, with MUCH better views than in 2000. At a certain moment the Col du Portet is, albeit from a long distance, clearly visible. I can't stop making photographs. Well, I could, but I won't. It is hard work, but it's worth the sweat. At the top it's not lonely.
Incredibly nice climb
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Top! (Not my bike!)
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Loudenvielle
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They were here
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The Peyresourde is there
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But first down to the lake
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On the other side the difference between this year's visit and the one 21 years ago is even bigger. Back then I cautiously descended through a dense fog, now the view down over the many hairpin bends is dazzling, and in the far distance the next col is already clearly discernible. I round the Lac de Génos-Loudenvielle counterclockwise, since that way I hope to get onto the D618 on a higher point.
The villages on the lake are rather terrible. Very well adapted to a certain kind of tourists (Paintball!?) I (think I) remember from my former visit of the area having stopped for a sandwich in Estarvielle, but I can't find any restaurant there today. When I get close to the D618 (the road Arreau – Luchon) four Sunday riders, older guys, one or two of which on e-bikes, can't help me either. So, it will be a long first part till I'll have my first ravitaillement. I can only hope it will be on the next col (de Peyresourde, 550 m up in 6.3 km), otherwise, I might just as well ride on till my (final) destination of today. It's hard, but doable, not as nice as the previous climb; the tiredness plays a role, and also the higher car frequency. Every now and then I'm passed by fellow riders; once I do overtake a young guy myself, and he keeps sticking close behind me, sniffing and gasping all the time. I urge him on to pass me (the sniffing is unbearable) and leave me alone. "Oh, je ne peux pas!" So I slightly increase my speed and get rid of him.
Side view when climbing to the
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Col de Peyresourde
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Special of the day
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And dive down again
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I am glad when I finally reach the Col de Peyresourde, with indeed a terraced restaurant. In the shade I munch away more than half of the special of the day: douze crêpes for € 14,–. I leave out the sidestep to the skiing station of Peyragudes (a finish location of the Tour that's not yet on my list – well, it appeared in the Tour ten years after my last trip in the Pyrenées) and enjoy the easy (well paved!) descent to Luchon. At the beginning it is quite a spectacular ride! And the weather is perfect too.
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Not a bad descent |
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either! |
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I register 4.5 km (well, my odometer does) from the junction with the D51 (the road I will get back to later/lighter) till the hotel that in Luchon that will host me tonight. That hotel ("Panoramic") is the first one I try It seems okay, with a friendly Belgian owner and an early enough breakfast buffet. I leave as many things in my hotel room as I think I can miss (and the extra lock-and-chain at the counter of the reception), and pick up the route lightweight. On the ride back along the D618, which starts with a km à 7%, I catch up with the 'Jumbo riders' (Jumbo is a Dutch chain of supermarkets sponsoring a cycle team) and his mate that I already spotted an hour earlier around the Peyresourde. I start a conversation in Dutch but they appear to be Spanish; are there any Spanish riders in the Jumbo team? After 4.5 km I turn right into 'unknown territory'. I have not done my homework well. What I know is that it is a small road, and that I have to go up some 700 m in some 17 km, but I have no idea whether (and where) there are any steep sections. I have also left my crêpes and bread + Roquefort cheese in Hôtel Le Panoramic; that wasn't a smart move. I hope (and expect) to find at least one restaurant in Bourg-d'Oeuil.
During the 4.5 km back
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Open valley leading to Bourg d'Oeuil
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More of that valley
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Past Bourg d'Oeuil
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During the first three km the grades are exacting, and the temperatures are high; I keep to the left (= shady) side of the road wherever possible – the road is not that much frequented. After that the climb flattens off, but there isn't any helpful road info as to my exact whereabouts. Bourg-d'Oeuil is located wonderfully, just at a hairpin bend, six km from the top, from where the first km seems rather stiff (steep). Within view of this bend there is a restaurant, but it appears it's cleaning time there between lunch and dinner. I can take a coca cola outside, and am happy to find one last cereals bar from Nootdorp in my handlebars bag .... The first km after this short break feels not as steep as it looked, but at the end of the day I'm not too fresh anymore. No trouble with the heat though, it's becoming cloudy, and during the last km I'm riding in the fog. At the top I take place at a picnic table with a family from Toulouse that's just breaking up with their camper after a weekend in the mountains, and that's so nice as to share some pastry and water melon with me.
Into the fog
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Empty heights (apart from one other guy)
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Top!
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Empty north side
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The gravel section :-(
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Hours later
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After these bites I can skip another break in Mauléon-Barousse or further on, in one of the villages along the Garonne or the Pique. The north side of the Port de Balès is rougher than the south side (and also harder: according to CyclingCols.com it contains 5 km of 10% or more). Fortunately, I'm quickly out of the fog, but the loose gravel on the road, for at least 8 km, during the steepest parts, is very frustrating. I keep up a good pace till Mauléon, am a bit surprised by the climb (not too hard though) till Siradan, shortly after which village I get onto the busy main road (the D625). After the junction where the D625 continues in the direction of Spain/Viella, through the valley of the Garonne, it gets better. I look out for restaurants close to the D125, but don't want to spend time/energy to climb to one of the villages that all seem to be (a little) higher up from the road. I enjoy the views to the old (former?) train station of Luchon, and also up to Superbagnères (maybe tomorrow morning the sun will have a better position to make a nice picture). Around 18:30h I am back at the hotel. For dinner, outside, I only have to walk 50 meters, and from my table have a nice view onto the church of Notre Dame de l'Assomption. After that I stroll around a bit through the town of rather faded glory, and from a small park get an update of my Dad's sleeping qualities of the preceding nights.
Glorious day!
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Bon diner dehors
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