It’s not long until the inaugural Cent Cols Challenge, a truly unique ten-stage sportive, kicks off on 14 September. As I count down the days until I fly out to the Alps to take part, the detailed route profile, and more pertinently the grade of all the climbs, has been causing me much concern.
Keen to get some expert knowledge from somebody who has ridden the route, who better than to ask than organiser Philip Deeker. I asked Philip to pick out the 10 climbs to fear the most. And with 100 climbs on the route, there was certainly no shortage to pick from. Here’s what he said:
“None of them [Cols] should be feared: they should all demand differing degrees of respect! Climbing Cols is like life, you need to relax into them, not fear them, and then you can deal with them, one stretch at a time.”
Sounds like sage advice, and something I’ll be hoping to stick to when the event gets underway on the 14 September.
Stage 1: Col de La Colombiere. Alberto and Bros Schleck battled it out on this one in July. It is the first one of the afternoon. After some steep ramps in the lower parts of the climb, the tougher stuff awaits as the road comes out into the bare slopes of the upper part of the climb. There could be a strong headwind which would make this one the one to remember from stage 1.
Stage 2: Col du Glandon. This stage contains three giants, all of which will take their toll on the riders. Of the three though I believe that the Col du Glandon, coming after the Madeleine in the morning will prove the toughest. A long climb, that most will be familiar with, the steepest ramps at the top. A beautiful road, however.
Stage 3: Col d’Izoard. After the second stage any climb will hurt and this stage does not mess around, straight down to business with the Col d’Izoard as the opening climb. The day has other lesser known challenges in store, and it will take a lot of determination to get through this Classic Climb to face the rest of the day. The sheer beauty of the Casse Deserte is more than a just reward for the riders’ efforts.
Stage 4: The Valberg. A day to discover lesser known climbs, fabulous roads and superb views. The mornings’ climbs will be a relative relief to legs that will still be coming to terms with such repeatedly long demands of effort. But the afternoon is pay-back time – the duo of the Col des Champs and the Col de Valberg are what this stage is about. The Valberg, at 12km long and the first of two mountain-top finishes, is relentlessly hard but at least riders will know that a shower and meal await them at the top.
Stage 5: Col des Banquettes. This stage includes the Turini, the Braus and the Giorbio, amongst others but there is one climb in there that is not long, but almost never dips under 10% – the Col des Banquettes. It will come as a shock, mid-way through the afternoon, and allows no time to settle in. Stand up and do fierce battle is the only way! The first view of the Mediterranean Sea at the top though soon washes away the pain.
Stage 6: Col de Baous. A relatively rolling stage after an abrupt start up the Col de Vence and a roam around the hills of Nice’s backwater, but it all ends up with a bar-clenching climb up the Col de Baous for an extraordinary vista over the Gorges du Verdon. Steep ramps and not the smoothest road surface make for a tough end to the day for those who decide not to take the short-cut to the hotel!
Stage 7: Col de la Montagne de Lure. The day before the Ventoux and one where the riders will climb the mountain Alberto showed his first flare of form in the Paris-Nice this year, and then paid for it dearly the next dare: a lesson for all CCC riders too! The Col de la Montagne de Lure is known as the Ventoux’s ‘little’ brother. Some will not call this so little after climbing it! There is a ‘false top’ that will test riders’ mental attitude and it can be just as windy up here as on the Ventoux itself. Another climb with a ‘dead’ road surface that does nothing to help matters!
Stage 8: Col de Pennes. Despite being presented with the Ventoux straight after breakfast, I believe that later in the day riders will meet a harder moment still: the Col de Pennes. With the Col de Rousset still to come and a good few kilometres in their legs already, the steep gradients of this climb, that can also be extremely hot if the sun is out, will be a true challenge. To be treated with utmost respect the whole way up its’ 11km.
Stage 9: Col de Toutes Aures/Pra l’Etang. This penultimate stage has some extremely dramatic climbs, including the Col de la Machine at the Combe Laval, but one of the true hidden pearls of the whole event, for me, is the climb of the Col de Toutes Aures/Pra l’Etang. At times the road is carved into the rock with a lot of empty air below. It twists and claws its way up a mountain side and just when you think that business is done as the road comes to a plateau, the second part of this Col-duet starts in the woods, and takes a long time to finish. No one will forget this one.
Stage 10: Col de la Crete de Chatillon. The Col to choose from the final day has to be the very last climb of the event, where the finish line will be, before descending all together down into Annecy: the Col de la Crete de Chatillon is where all the locals test themselves, and in this area they have some climbs to choose from. By this time riders will be revelling in their newly acquired form, or suffering from various forms of Mad Col Disease!
More soon…
