Alpe d'Huez with Andrew

The objective, for our first day here, was to get Andrew up to the top of Alpe d'Huez. It's a climb that is tough enough to be a good test of how you are feeling, and a significant achievement if you do manage it. Equally it's not overly long, and it's all literally down hill on the way back.

The day started normally enough, with some bike fettling. After a long day strapped to the back of the car, they had fared remarkably well. A little lubrication seemed all that was required. Even tyre pressures were ok, presumably because the altitude here means that the air pressure is lower, compensating for any loss. 

And then Andrew pointed out that his front derailleur was rubbing slightly in bottom gear. An hour and a bit of fiddling and adjustment later, it transpired that when he had upgraded from 10 to 11 speed earlier in the year, he hadn't changed the front mech. Doh! So, we did the best we could in adjusting things, and set out rather later than intended. 

The quick blast from Le Clapier to the base of the Alpe went fine, and we stopped for selfies at Km 0, before heading up. Despite all my training rides, and last year in the Pyrenees, I was nervous about whether I'd be able to cope. Once the first couple of ramps were behind us, I started to feel better, and was pedaling quite happily up the inclines with a comfortable cadence in the low 70's, at a couple of hundred watts, and a heart rate in the 140's. Maybe I would be OK this year. 

The scenery here never fails to impress.

That lone tree in the centre of the frame just
demanded attention!

Andrew made really good progress up as far as La Garde. This is the toughest section of the climb, with ramps at 10% and sections that are steeper. We were stopping every couple of hairpins, to let him get his breath back, and to re-hydrate. Then, somewhere between La Garde and Huez village, his legs went. From then on, the stops got a little longer, and progress slowed. But at no point did he look like giving up, despite the obvious efforts he was making. He even managed to straighten up and smile for the photographers on the upper hairpins. And he didn't resort to walking, which is more than can be said for the guy in full Giro d'Italia winners kit, who did just that. Awkward!

The boy done good!

We stopped for water and some photo opportunities in the village itself, before pushing on the last couple of kilometres to the Tour de France finish line. For the first time, I managed to find the turning to the right to use the correct course. There is actually a sign, which I've managed to miss on two previous occasions. I even sprinted to the finish from the last roundabout, hitting nearly 500 watts during that short effort.

Chapeau Andrew!

Old fool and his eldest son at the TdF
finish line. Perhaps he'll get the hang of
selfies eventually!

It was getting quite late, and any thoughts of a return via the Col de Sarenne or Villard-Reculas had long since been banished. We took the direct route back down, the first time I've ridden it in its entirety. I managed only a nodding acquaintance with most of the apexes on the way down, and we did stop a couple of times to make sure that brakes and rims were not getting too hot. The final few kilometers along the valley were the first time that we'd really encountered anything more than a very gentle breeze all day. It was a welcome headwind. It had been over 30 celsius all day.

The Activity for this ride is available on Strava.

And, I was pretty impressed at the way my phone was able to use auto HDR to capture the events of the day. Chapeau computational photography!