The 2005 Tour de France in the French Alps
2004 was the year in which Lance Armstrong became the first cyclist to win the Tour de France for the sixth time, with a number of impressive stage victories in the event. Lance Armstrong announced on 16th February 2005 that he would ride the Tour de France, looking to take his seventh consecutive win in Paris.
In 2005, the Tour de France will start on the 2nd of July and follow a clockwise route around France. The race will visit the Alps before the Pyrenees, and have two stage finishes in the high Alps. The first mountains of the Tour de France appear on stage nine with a number of climbs in the Vosges range in north-east France. Following the stage, the riders will then transfer from Mulhouse to Grenoble.
The 11th of July is a rest day for the riders in the Alpine city of Grenoble. Grenoble will allow the riders to stretch their legs around the city before the first Alpine stage. For their rest day ride, the climb of Chamrousse is close enough to allow the riders to take in a big climb on quiet roads, and it would certainly bring back memories of the 2001 Tour de France mountain time-trial for many of the riders.
My Advice
After three successful years of running tours to see the Tour de France, my best advice for Tour de France viewing is to get there early. Remember to pack cold weather gear as it can get chilly on the mountains if it cloudy and raining. Make sure you have food and drink and money for the day. Also remember your camera and get ready to soak up the atmosphere. The Tour de France is an amazing experience. For any other questions, remember the Grenoble Cycling Pages message board.
Tuesday 12th July - To Courchevel
Tour de France Stage 10 : Grenoble - Courchevel ( 192 km )
Profile : A flat start to the stage with two major climbs and a stage finish at altitude in Courchevel.
Stage Detail : The riders will have had the benefit of having had a rest day before today's stage. The first 80 kilometres of the route will be flat and take the riders north from Grenoble towards Albertville. The real climbing starts after Beaufort with the 1968 metre Cormet de Roseland. Beaufort is situated in the Savoie department in the northern French Alps at 740 metres in altitude.
The Cormet de Roseland is a beauiful climb, especially around the Lac de Roseland. The first 12 kilometres from Beaufort average around seven and a half percent before the riders arrive at the 1605 metre Col de Meraillet. Two kilometres of flat and descending follow before the final five kilometres to the summit of the Cormet de Roseland. The gradient eases slightly compared to the first part of the climb, and it is here that the mountain views are the most impressive on this side of the climb.
There is a long descent from the Cormet de Roseland, taking the riders through Bourg St Maurice and down the Tarentaise valley and following the Isere river. If the riders had time to look behind them on the descent of the Cormet de Roseland, they would have stunning views over the snow covered mountains of the Mont Blanc massif.
The final climb to Courchevel is a tough one with nearly 22 kilometres of climbing. Courchevel is a popular ski resort in the winter months, and is part of the Three Valleys ski area. The three linked resorts of Courchevel, Meribel and Val Thorens boast the title of being the biggest ski area in the world.
The climb to Courchevel starts in Brides-les-Bains and for the first seven kilometres, the gradient averages just over six percent. The climb then steepens for the next six kilometres with a gradient of over eight percent including one kilometre at just under ten percent. Above 1,400 metres in altitude, the gradient eases to an average of six percent for the final ten kilometres of riding to the stage finish at the Altiport. The riders will cycle through Courchevel 1650 and Courchevel 1850 before the finish line at 2000 metres in altitude at the Altiport.
| Climb Name | Distance into Stage | Details |
| Cormet de Roseland (1968m) | 118 km | 20.1 km climb at 6% |
| Courchevel (2004m) | 192 km | 21.8 km climb at 6.3% |
Around Courchevel : The Tarentaise valley has a number of notable climbs other than the two used by the Tour de France. These climbs include the Col de l'Iseran, Les Arcs, Col de la Petite St Bernard, and Val Thorens amongst others. I recommend this area for cycling.
Best view points : The Cormet de Roseland is a beautiful road and one of my favourite climbs that I've ever ridden. There are a number of spots above the dam that will give you a great view over the road below as well as a spectacular mountain vista.
The climb to Courchevel
is a long and wide road which will give you plenty of opportunity to find
a spot to watch the race. It is a one way road and could be quite a bottleneck
so do expect delays to get to, or to leave the area.
Wednesday 13th July - Two Alpine Giants
Tour de France Stage 11 : Courchevel - Briancon ( 173 km )
Profile : A day in the high mountains of the Alps with the two long climbs of the Col de la Madeleine and the Col du Galibier.
Stage Detail : Although the riders have a long descent from the Col du Galibier to the stage finish in Briancon, there are still two huge climbs to ride before that.
The riders will leave the ski resort of Courchevel and have a long descent back down to the valley before following the Isere river towards Albertville for six kilometres. If the weather is bad, this descent could be a chilly and unpleasant experience.
The 28 kilometre climb to the Col de la Madeleine starts at 460 metres in altitude in the village of Aigueblanche. For ten kilometres, the Madeleine averages around seven percent and takes the riders up to the village of Combelouviere at just under 1,300 metres in altitude. Leaving the village, there is a brief respite from the climbing with three kilometres of descent back down to 1,100 metres and then the climb then steepens for five kilometres with gradients between eight and ten percent. On this section, the riders will pass through the mountain villages of la Thuille and Celliers.
After 1,500 metres, the gradient eases for three kilometre to four percent, before the final five kilometres of climbing at gradients between eight and nice percent before the 1994 metre summit of the Col de la Madeleine. The summit of the Madeleine is a desolate place without vegetation and with high mountains towering over the pass on both sides. To the north, the snow covered slopes of the highest mountain in Europe, the Mont Blanc, loom on the horizon.
The gradient of the 19 kilometre descent from the Madeleine average betwen six and ten percent. It is a wide road and the riders will quickly find themselves in the village of la Chambre in the heart of the Maurienne valley. La Chambre famous for being the gateway between the Col de la Madeleine and the Col du Glandon. The Tour de France route then turns to the south-east to gradually climbs for 23 kilometres from 470 metres in la Chambre to 710 metres in St-Michel-de-Maurienne. The riders pass St-Jean-de-Maurienne and past the foot of the Col de la Croix de Fer and the less known, Col du Mollard.
The riders will see as they climb away from St-Michel-de-Maurienne that they have 34 kilometres to the top of the 2,646 metre Col du Galibier. Their first obstacle, however, is the 1,566 metre Col du Telegraphe. The Telegraphe averages seven percent for the 12 kilometres of climbing, and by the time the riders reach the last kilometre, they will have an impressive view over the valley and the climb that they have just ridden.
Following the Telegraphe, the riders have five kilometres of descending into the ski resort of Valloire and the foot of the giant Col du Galibier. There are 18 kilometres of climbing above Valloire to the 2,646 metre Col du Galibier, and for the first ten kilometres, the road follows the contours of the left-hand side of the valley and average between four and eight percent. The gradient increases at the end of the valley at a place called Plan Lachet. Here, the road turns through 180 degrees and begins the final climb to the Galibier on the other side of the valley.
Above the Plan Lachet, the riders have eight kilometres to the summit of the Col and the hairpins are frequent. The gradient is a constant eight or nine percent and for the first three kilometres above the Plan Lachet, the front riders will be able to see down the valley towards Valloire to see how much of a lead they have, and vice versa, the riders chasing will be able to see the riders climbing above them.
The summit of the Col du Galibier can be seen with five kilometres left to climb. If it is windy, this can be a very tough section as the gradient is steep and the riders will have tired legs. The steepest part of the Galibier is left for the last kilometre where the gradient passes ten percent and it is here that winter snow can often still be found on the mountainside.
It is all downhill to Briancon from the Col du Galibier. The riders will have 40 kilometres, and this section often has a strong tailwind, so it may be possible for a breakaway to keep the advantage. The first eight kilometres of technical descending from the Galibier, will take the riders to the 2058 metre Col du Lautaret. From here, the Tour de France route joins the main road between Grenoble and Briancon.
The riders will find that there is a sting in the tail with the stage finish in Briancon. The final kilometre climbs steeply up to the old town and will be the perfect place for a rider with some energy to attack and to win the stage. Tired riders will certain feel the efforts of the the stage catch up with them on this section.
| Climb Name | Distance into Stage | Details |
| Col de la Madeleine (2000m) | 55 km | 25.4 km climb at 6.1% |
| Col du Telegraphe (1566m) | 110 km | 12 km climb at 6.7% |
| Col du Galibier (2646m) | 133 km | 17.5 km climb at 6.9% |
Around La Chambre : There are some famous climbs around La Chambre which would include the Col de la Madeleine, Col du Glandon, Col de la Croix de Fer, Col du Mollard as well as the Galibier. There are also numerous roads to the small ski resorts which would certainly be perfect for some extra cycling.
Around Briancon : The famous climbs around Briancon include the Col d'Izoard, the Col du Galibier, the Col de Montgenevre and the tough but beautiful, Col du Granon. There are also some great hiking spots above Briancon in the Claree valley and also in the Ecrins massif near Briancon and the Chalet de Madame Carle.
Best view points : The top of the Col de la Madeleine is very open and will give you good mountain views as well as the opportunity to see the Tour de France. You could also use the opportunity to hike in the mountains here. The action will really happen on the Col du Galibier, and the best viewpoints are above the Plan Lachet. For the three kilometres above the large hairpin at the end of the valley, you will be able to see down the valley for a number of kilometres to see the riders coming. There are also some great viewpoints on the two kilometres beneath the Col du Galibier itself.
Thursday 14th July - Rolling through the Foothills
Tour de France Stage 12 : Briancon - Digne-les-Bains ( 187 km )
Profile : A rolling stage with a number of small climbs, but they are shorter and less steep than the previous two days in the Alps. A day for a breakaway group. This stage is similar to the one from Bourg d'Oisans to Gap where Joseba Beloki fell in the 2003 Tour de France.
Stage Detail : The riders will descend from Briancon towards Gap before turning south and heading towards Dignes-les-Bains.
The first climb of the day is the Côte des Demoiselles-Coiffées, which is a climb that is named after the nearby rock formations. The Demoiselles Coiffées are an impressive set of narrow rock columns standing along the top of a crumbling rock ridge. Each column is topped with a large rock which helps to protect the Demoiselle from complete erosion. Demoiselles Coiffée translates to the "young ladies with fancy hair or nice hat".
The stage contains two notable climbs over the 187 kilometres. At 88 kilometres, the riders will cross the high point of the day, the 1332 metre Col Saint-Jean. This is a 13 kilometre climb at an average of four percent. However, there are still over 65 kilometres to the next climb and 100 kilometres to the finish line in Digne-les-Bains.
The Col de Corobin is the toughest climb of the day and close enough to the finish for an opportunist to make a break. The climb comes at the 156 kilometre point and is just over 12 kilometres in length at an average gradient of four and a half percent.
The top of the final climb, the Col de l'Orme, is just ten kilometres left to the stage finish. The climb to get there is not steep with an average gradient of four percent, and there are less than three kilometres of climbing.
| Climb Name | Distance into Stage | Details |
| Côte des Demoiselles-Coiffées (1067m) | 61 km | 4.6 km climb at 4.8% |
| Col Saint-Jean (1332m) | 88 km | 13.2 km climb at 4% |
| Col de Labouret (1240m) | 115.5 km | 2.2 km climb at 3.2% |
| Col du Corobin (1230m) | 156 km | 12.4 km climb at 4.5% |
| Col de l'Orme (734m) | 177 km | 2.7 km climb at 3.9% |
Best view points : The finish in Digne-les-Bains or the Col du Corobin, or anywhere in the last 20 kilometres.
The top of the Col du Corobin is relatively wooded and is a narrow road, so if you can get a spot then this would be a good place - get there early. My thoughts are that the riders who are trying to escape or stay away in the break would know that they have to ride or be caught, so anywhere in the last 20 kilometres on an uphill section would be a good place to view the race today.
Remember the Tour de France website