Stage 12 - Luz Ardiden Pyrenees Mountain Top

Another amazing day of experiences with our first big Pyrenees climb today. Have lots of video footage off the bike cam which will be updated later.

Riding up the valley from Lourdes takes your breath away as you see the mountains before you only to realise later in the day that you end up climbing all the way to the top of that same mountain altitude. Whilst the climb up to Luz Ardiden (basically you climb from the valley to the ski fields) is rated as 7% over 15 kms, I can tell you there's a lot of it that's over 10% with regular bits in the middle sitting on 11 and 12%. We all made it fine but the damned Gendarmes closed the road at 1 km to the top and you could either sit there in the wind chill (Alex did !!) or head down to a more comfortable viewing area (which is is what Dare, Yvette and I did).  Over dinner we found out a couple of the bikestyle riders clambered around the Gendarmes going cross country and befriending some of the Basques (prob took pity on them) who plied them with Coffee and a local wine (read home brew) taking them into their campervan and providing jackets. How's that !!

You still climb this for the final 7 kms. Those white dots top right of the hill are Campervans

Due to the cold, we watched the riders come past from further down the hill whilst Alex the brave waited near the top and reported that Contador was goooone and Cadel still had that steely look of determination on his face. Over and out from me. Time for some shut eye in preparation for our 110 km ride back up into the high Pyrenees tomorrow morning to ride the same high mountains as the pros (Col du Solour and Col d'Aubisque) before we race down the race path into Lourdes before the pros so we can watch the finish as we are staying in Lourdes for the next three nights.

The highlight of the day apart from the big climb, was the almost private run we had down the valley at 50 to 60 kmh for several kms alongside a river and tall mountains. Wait till you see the video !!