It's 1:00 PM and we're sitting in the sun at 2,000 m at the top of the Col de la Madeleine. It seems our way down is blocked by a fallen tree or landslide, so time for lunch and then we'll see whether we turn back or press on for another 100 km and the Col du Glandon. The climb was fantastically beautiful with hot sun and lots of snow.
Briefly, I made it to La Grave last night at 10:00 PM with a couple of other riders. There were quite a few other groups behind us. Completely mad as most of us didn't have lights. All safely in, however, and nobody in the broom wagon. It was the hardest day I've ever had on a bike. Someone says the total ascent yesterday was getting on for 50 per cent of Everest. I was too tired to check.
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| Posing on the way up La Madeleine. The most beautiful col so far. |
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| Higher up Madeleine, and the snow gets deeper. |
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| One down, just the chilly descent and the equally big Col du Glandon to go. |
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| The road to the Glandon climb. It ramps up to 11 per cent towards the top. |
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| Snow and the last of the sun at the top of Glandon. |
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