Stage 9, Val-d'Isère - Briançon, 161 kms, Sun 8th July

Tour founder Henri Desgrange said of the Hors Category Col due Galibier, the first year it was run in 1911, "O, col Bayard, O, Tourmalet... a côté du Galibier vous êtes de la pâle et vulgaire bibine." (Oh, Bayard, Oh, Tourmalet... next to the Galibier you are mediocre and common beer.) Indeed, there may be no more awe-inspiring ride in cycling.


Serious alpine action today, a 1st category climb immediately followed by the hors categorie Galibier (and the HC col de l'Iseran before it) and I am pleased to report that all members of letour2007 made it...we dominated basically. Even Kyle completed a full TdF mountain stage, despite injuries.




The Iseran was climbed straight from Val d'Isere, it is pretty much the highest point you can cycle in the alps, and the air is thinner up there. Then around a 40 mile descent through beatiful scenery before the climbing of the giants.

The weather was largely cloudy but the telegraphe is always hot at the bottom...and the Galibier was tough as always. A climb of almost 2000 metres from a hot valley up to the snows is pretty hard to find...and we had it on the route today.

The descent to Briancon was fun....another 30 km's or so of no pedalling (some reward for the aching knees), even if a rain shower basically forced my eyes shut such was the extent of the water streaming under and around my cycling glasses.

So success...the tour continues, we camped tonight near Tallard the start of stage 10 and it is now hot. The alps recede into the distance and Provence and the mediterranean beckons.

140 miles tomorrow.





Matt...third time up the Galibier in three years.