Alpe d’Huez

Tour de France 2021

Tour de France LogoSo, thanks to the ongoing pandemic and subsequent “no fly” policy in the family, I get another cycling adventure this year.

As we will be going to France, I have obviously and as usual dubbed it “Tour de France 2021”.

While I do feel sorry for Paula’s not getting her well deserved sun vacation, I’m also excited at the prospect of having another go at the giants of the French Alps.

I was thinking (again) to plan for the Pyrenees, but I eventually couldn’t withstand the temptation of a remake of part one of my Tour de France 2014.

That was way too short – not the tour, just the first part – to tackle everything that’s in that area.

So for the Tour de France 2021, we’ve rented an apartment in Saint-Jean-de Maurienne, which is located at the base of the…

*Drum Roll*

… Col de la Croix de Fer.

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Tour de France 2017 – Road Book

Since we will spend two weeks in Briançon for my ‘Tour de France 2017’, it’s clear that only two Marmots on the menu is not going to get me through those 🙂

As I have previously written, there are a lot of cols to be found in the area, so I had no difficulties in constructing a ‘Tour de France Road Book’ that made me shit my pants.

However, despite my normal lack of restraint, resulting in grossly overestimating myself, I had to promise Paula that for this year’s tour, I would at least try to cut myself some slack.

After all, I recently turned 57, which by itself may not be enough of an excuse to go easy on yourself.

But coupled with the slightly discomforting physical problems as the result of several crashes, I might actually be inclined to keep my promise…

So, with that in mind, I present you a first draft of the stages I’m planning to ride!

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Alpe d’Huez


Ah yes, Alpe d’Huez…

What could I possibly add to the many, many pages dedicated to this particular climb, one that’s on the bucket list of nearly every cyclist who dares to venture into the Alps?

A climb that is imprinted into the memory of Tour de France followers as being ‘pivotal’ in many a stage, if not decisive to the overall win.

Which, at the time of posting this page and looking at the ‘hard evidence’, has only been the case in 7 out of the 29 times the Alpe has been included in the TDF…

On 6 more occasions, the yellow jersey switched shoulders after the stage, but the TDF was eventually won by another rider.

Only Greg Lemond and Stephen Roche were able to turn the table again: after losing the yellow on the Alpe, they eventually still won the GC.

Despite it’s fame, it’s not even the highest or the hardest climbs in the area and it’s not particularly beautiful.

Don’t get me wrong: it’s a tough climb and it offers some great views, but looking at other climbs nearby, I would give a higher rating to the Croix de Fer, Col du Sabot and La Bérarde.

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Alpe d’HuZes 2012

On this page you can find all information about my participation in the Alpe d’HuZes challenge 2012, Bike Rebel WITH a cause for once.

(Nederlandse versie hier)

What is it?

Alpe d’HuZes is an initiative to raise funds for cancer research; the participants help fight cancer by cycling up the Alpe d’Huez a maximum if six times one day. They raise funds by finding sponsors that are willing to donate money; this can be either a fixed amount or for instance an (increasing) amount per climb they accomplish.

The name, Alpe d’HuZes, is a contraction of the Dutch word for six – ‘zes’ – and the name of the mountain. It is endorsed by the KWF Kankerbestrijding (the Dutch Cancer Society), LiveStrong Foundation and Inspire2Live.

The dream – the ultimate goal – is for cancer to evolve from a deadly disease into a chronic illness. The guys from Team AD6 Tweets share this dream and for that they participated in Alpe d’HuZes 2012.

“If at first an idea is not absurd, there is no hope for it” – Albert Einstein

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Alpe d’HuYes – report of our AD6 week

(Nederlandse versie hier)

With the announcement that 32.231.747,35 Euro has been raised, the 2012 edition of the Alpe d’HuZes came to a close last weekend (Oct. 7). A staggering amount and one to be very, very proud of – and I am / we are!

This year’s edition was the one of Team AD6 Tweets and 7,892 other participants, countless volunteers and even more supporters – all in all more than 25.000 people were involved during this week. I am proud and happy to have been part of this event – read on about how a year of preparation culminated in ‘one week of Alpe d’HuZes‘…

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