Amazing, Awesome, Alps – The Alpine Triple (Stage 20 TdF, Annecy > Annecy-Semnoz, 125km)

These blogs are getting pretty boring to write. I am running out of superlatives to describe the scenery that we have been treated to each and every day. The hills in and around Lac d’Annecy were no different. Exceptional, yet again!

After a massive day previously the shorter distance for this stage, just 125km, was welcome news. Just 125km…. easy. Well if the distance was easy, that was the only easy thing about the day. We would still be climbing in excess of 3,500m, ending the day on a tough HC climb.

Rumours that Janice has received a little more than just saline solution the night before were confirmed when she arrived at breakfast, fully lycra’d and ready for the days stage. Unfortunately the previous nights doping didn’t boost Pt and Janice’s navigation skills and they spent much of the early part of the day lost.

A short transfer took us to the shores of Lac d’Annecy where, due to the early hour of our departure, we were treated to sunrise over the lake. More superlatives.

Setting off in the morning light

It wasn’t long before we left the flat shores and were tackling a Cat 2 and a couple of Cat 3 climbs. Up and down all the way, the pace was yo-yoing as there were a lot of leaden legs in the peloton from the day before.

The first feed stop was a very relaxed affair, departure times slowed significantly by the availability of good coffee from a road side café. As we chilled and took a welcome caffeine hit, Baggy snuck off stealing almost 30 minutes on everyone else and Pt and Janice cycled in circles somewhere in the French countryside.

Yet another cafe stop!

Immediately after our refuel we were straight up again, rising over a short Cat 3 climb before a fast descent into Saint-Jean-D’Arvey. From here it was 17km up to Mont Revard, not a steep incline, averaging 5-6%, but certainly an interminable drag. For all that the road was boring the views over Lac du Bourget and Aix-les-Bains we were treated to were spectacular. Many more superlatives.

Our feed stop and the road leading into the descent were not quite at the top of Mont Revard and we had been told it was 400m up a side road to the top. Given the views we had seen as we climbed to the feed it was definitely worth taking the small diversion even though it turned out to be more like an additional 1.5km of climbing!

Boring, rubbish views over Lac du Bourget and Aix-les-Bains

Another great descent was followed by a short drag as we traversed across the valley. Alpine scenery – lakes, cottages, mountains, foothills, cows with bells – all around.

Soon we were at the base of the last climb of the Tour. On reaching the summit all the hard work would have been done; just a glory ride into Paris to follow. For the Lifers it would be an emotional milestone.

The climb started (in reality) with 15km to go, rather than the advertised 11km. The additional 4km of climbing were not exactly welcome and I was heard cursing not so quietly under my breathe. A, barely noticeable, dip took us to the 11km road marker and the official start of the Annecy-Semnoz climb – a final HC climb

Luke and I rode together (managing to shake off some annoying old woman that insisted on riding 10 metres ahead of us for some time) as we tackled the first 4km of the climb. We had been told to expect these to be tough, hovering around 10%, but that the remaining kilometres would ‘level off’.

The 'levelling off’ never came. At every kilometre marker we passed we were expecting to see a 6% or even a 7%, but were instead greeted, almost without fail, with a 9%. The climb was unrelenting. We cursed. Its only saving grace the fact that once it was done there would be no more climbing for this year’s Tour.

As we got to within 200m of the top we passed a mountain top café with riders that had finished ahead of us quaffing beers and cheering on every finisher. Spotting Baggy just up the road I jumped out of the saddle and, for a bit of sport, sprinted him to the line – calling the victory for myself as I narrowly crept past him (although there may be differing accounts of this…).

All the climbing done! I did half expect this sign to say "9%"

After taking in the view at the summit I headed back down to the café and joined the beer and the cheering.

Janice and Pt arrived (in that order…), having completed the three toughest days cycling I am sure they will ever want to do, relieved and exhausted. Pt was sporting arm warmers despite the burning heat of the day – choosing to boil alive rather than burn his un-suntan lotioned skin. Janice could barely walk.

Once the last of the Linklaters group were in (i.e the last man of the day) we headed back down the climb for one of the best descents of the whole trip – mixing fast and sweeping corners with some technical hairpins and turns. Totally brilliant as we dropped like stones down the side of the mountain back to our hotel (or more correctly, motel) on the banks of the Lac d’Annecy.