My previous post was about the Critérium du Dauphiné’s stage 8, which ventured into the Haute-Savoie.
This is an area I have not been cycling in before.
After having studied the area and taking into consideration that I have a limited number of days, I do not want to waste a lot of time with car transfers.
I will most likely visit the are twice: once for the previously described Dauphiné stage – but with a twist – and once for a stage including the Col de Joux Plane…
Unlike the Dauphiné’s stage, I will get on the bike (near) Saint-Jean-de-Sixt and start with the Col de la Colombière.
Next on the menu is Col de Romme from Le Reposoir as an intermezzo, before tackling the dead end Col de Solaison.
I will then return and climb the Colombière again from Scionzier, concluding the stage with the downhill to Le Grand-Bornand.
Or, as in the picture to the left, continue and tackle the Col des Aravis or Col de la Croix Fry – not pictured – if I’m feeling (really) good…
Either is “in the direction” of getting back to the apartment and they are similar in profile.
(Note that CyclingCol.com doesn’t list Saint-Jean-de-Sixt as a starting point, but I don’t think I will first get to Thônes, so the profile cards are only correct from la Clusaz.)
Next, my desire to climb another well known col, the Joux Plane, is going to require more transfer time in the car…
I will probably start between Morzine and Montriond to go around Lac de Montriond for the Col de la Joux Verte.
Avoriaz might be a good place for a break and it doesn’t require a lot of additional climbing to get there 🙂
I will then get down to Morzine and tackle the Joux Plane, followed by the descent into Samoëns.
I may or may not include the loop over Morillon (it’s included in the route you see here) but I do intend to get to over the Romme from the other end, followed by the Colombière from Le Reposoir before descending back to Le Grand-Bornand again.
As I already climbed that 2nd half of the Colombière during the “Dauphiné” stage, I may actually just get in the car in Le Reposoir…
Tour de France 2022 main page here.
