The first col was OK and not too hard. We stopped at the top for a final Italian espresso (which actually turned out to be French in terms of both quality and price). A speedy descent and then on to the Col d'Izoard – a bit higher and stunningly beautiful with wild flower meadows and some snow at the top. It now takes top spot in my list of favourites in terms of scenery, I think. Lunch was brought forward: omelette and chips which took an hour to arrive. SAfterwards there was a plendid descent with big drop-offs to the gorge below.
Col de Vars suffered a bit by comparison. Some steep pulls up but with a flatter bit in the middle. I lost the group on the precipitous descent (steep road too, so on the brakes too much and too long) and did a solo time trial for 30 km down the valley. The final kidney punch was a really steep climb up to our hotel at La Sauze, above Barcelonette.
I should have said that two or three of the riders were unable to start yesterday (lack of food and/or sleep and stomach cramps) but everybody was back today, though a lot of us are hurting.
Also, the Coupe des Alpes cars have been replaced by a small group of Morgans, and of course there are shoals of racy motorcyclists trying to get their knees down on the hairpin bends. Some of them are not all that good at it.
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| Ah! Italy! The bar opposite our Oulx hotel served free pizza with the beers. |
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| Wild flowers on the slopes of the fabulous Col d'Izoard. |
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| The bike in snow in front of the Izoard monument. |
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| Looking back down the long ascent of Col de Vars. |
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Please to see that both your legs are intact - thought you'd acquired a prosthetic limb on the Col du Lauteret! Suz x
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