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A col too far
Day two of the Cent Cols Challenge dawned bright and early with the sun shining over the mountains behind our hotel and 36 weary riders rolled out for what lay ahead. And what lay ahead was pitched as the hardest day of the entire event, a somewhat mind-boggling route that included, for starters, the beautiful col de la Madeleine, a climb which lulled you in with its serene meadows and breath-taking valley views.
While the Madeleine passed without much undue stress, the col du Glandon was another matter. A enjoyable climb through the lower twists and turns, it kept a sting in the tail for the last few kilometres. With the gradient inching ever steeper and the rain beading off my Rapha Rainjacket, I entered a dark and very personal pain cave and it would be some time before I would emerge into the bright sunshine and start to feel human again.
Later, the col du Telegraphe was as enjoyable, if tougher, than I remember from a previous ride up the mountain. After a mostly sunny morning the weather was making a turn for the worse. By the time we began the short descent to the foot of the mighty Galibier, the temperature was plummeting and, by the time the final feed station in Valloire was reached, news came from organisers Phil Deeker that we would unfortunately be unable to tackle the Galibier. Snow fall higher up the col had forced the closure of the road that passes the summit, and the Gendarmes were not going to allow us to cycle up.
Despite obvious disappointment for all, the weather was closing in and everybody was beginning to shiver, so while Phil had the tricky job of organising a backup plan, we all piled into a local cafe and several rounds of cappucinos were ordered. Some time later a coach pulled up outside, we all piled in and, nervously, the French driver drove us over the Galibier.
Upon reaching the top, it was clear that riding it would have been a col too far, for the roads were covered in a good layer of snow and it was snowing rather heavily. The cloud cover was also dropping and the daylight evaporating making the drive down from the pass a hairy experience. Only when we reached the safety of Briançon, our overnight stop, did the driver admit to the degree of sliding she was experiencing during the treacherous drive.
