G_N#3 Col du Galibier 2.642m

Still the day before no one drank really alcohol as this stage of our trip was the one we all waited for. Famous and difficult. Nevertheless in the morning we all fully motivated started from our hotel in Saint-Jean-de Maurienne. Nervousity was in the bulck as after 2k the first riders needed to take a little break to empty their body.

It was not far to the point where everything started - in Saint-Michel-de-Maurienne. We all learned from Madeleine and stayed more or less together. The first part was the climb to the 1566m high Col du Telegraph, a more or less comfy road with 7,8% average on 11,8k. We all waited together to do our first foto sessions but also put together all energies for the real one.

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In doing all this we got the message that the road down from the Galibier is closed because of construction work and we were not sure if this also was valid for bicycles. But we all wanted to do the climb no matter if we have to go back the same way. But we also needed to take additional clothing with us as Martin our accompanyinig car for sure could not do the drive. The good point though? No cars on the climb!!!

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From Telegraph there is a little descent to Valloire a little ski village surrounded by ski lifts. And from there the 17k climb started. The road first leaded us into a deep valley hold into steep mountains. The gradient again quite ok. Reaching the end of the valley offered in a first sight a dead end road and it was not clear in which direction the road will turn.

Right at the end it turned out that we have to go on the right side of the valley and the first haipins came up and it also became steeper. In the meantime the peloton was already spread into parts. A few of us even were far ahead as they started much earlier from the Telegraph. After the part up to Granges du Galibier the road again flattened out a bit before showing his theeth with an avg gradient of 9-10% on the last 8 kilometer.

The air got thinner and the legs emptier but still we had perfect conditions and mellow temperatures up on the Col du Galibier in 2.642m. Now it was time again for our picture session as we were stoked that we did it. Happy we rolled down passing all this construction sections and met with the others at Col du Lautaret, still 2.058m high, and the crossing coming from Le Bourg-dÓisans, the start for Alpe d´Huez, and Briancon our town for the night.

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The almost 30k descent to Briancon was great and the reward for the hard work before. A perfect day. Now we knew we are strong enough for the rest of our tour which also ment that it was not just one beer that evening.
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bike: pretty Betty, Specialized Tarmac S-Works
starring: Jürgen Kern, Michi Wagenhofer, Martin Koroschetz, Christian Kux, Robert Walli, Ossi Wiesinger, Günther Klement, Harry Köll, Gerhard Bauer, Elmar Schamp, Gerry Samer and Guide-in Melina