The Tour de France really comes alive when the race reaches the fabled climbs of the Alps, where the featherweight climbers put on demonstrations of sheer balletic beauty and race victory is all but decided.
The history of the greatest cycle race in the world is one littered with battles played out on the famous mountain ascents of the Alps, those names now firmly etched in the collective psyche of cyclists around the world and which form a regular pilgrimage for thousands every summer.
Rapha’s Great Road Climbs of the Southern Alps is a book celebrating in glorious photography the roads and cols of the Southern Alps. “Written by Graeme Fife with the photography of Pete Drinkell, the book captures the beauty and intrigue of the southern regions of the Alps, exploring climbs and roads steeped in the history of road racing and beyond.”
The book includes the following climbs:
- Colle d’Agnello
- Cime de la Bonette
- Colle della Maddalena
- Col de Vars
- Col d’Izoard
- Colle della Lombarda
- Mont Ventoux
- Col des Champs
- Col de la Cayolle
- Col d’Allos
- Col de la Couillole
- Col de Buis
- La Madone d’Utelle
- Col de Turini
- Poggio
- Col de la Madone
As well as full bleed, double-page images, the book features hand-illustrated maps and col profiles. Fife’s narrative, including historical references, cultural observations and road racing snapshots is matched by the powerful photography of Pete Drinkell.
So, get a copy and gen up on the climbs of the Alps. And then book yourself a flight to the Alps to tick them off the list.
