Freewheeling: Alpe d'Huez finale for the 2024 Tour de France Femmes could be spectacular

A spontaneous applause rippled through the audience at the Palais des Congres, Paris as Marion Rousse revealed Alpe d'Huez as the concluding stage of the 2024 Tour de France Femmes.

The auditorium, packed, with a couple of thousand people - a mixture of professional cycle racers, cycling industry executives, sponsors, sports associations, local government representatives, governing body chiefs, and sports media - had come to watch the grand presentation of the 2024 Tour de France and Tour de France Femmes routes. 

Discovering that Alpe d'Huez would feature proved popular. This iconic climb which has been a crowd puller since it was included in the men's Tour de France in 1952 has now been included in what will be the third edition of the women's Grande Boucle event, sponsored by Zwift and organised by ASO.

An iconic stage was also included in the previous Tour de France Femmes when the 2023 event included a stage through the Pyrenees with a finish on the Tourmalet, and the 2022 inaugural renaissance event concluded in the Vosges atop La Superplanche des Belles Filles. 

Having these iconic mountain stages in the women's races is great for the sport as it is bound to increase audience engagement in terms of television viewing and social media interactions. It is also a great endorsement from the organisers and sponsors that they would include such stages in the women's race. When it comes to the Tour de France, racing up Alpe d'Huez doesn't get better. Given the abundance of strong riders from the Netherlands in the women's peloton, Dutch corner will be a massive party for the women too! 

Other interesting points about the Tour de France Femmes are the Grand Départ taking place in Rotterdam - the first time the race is happening outside of French territory. With the initial stages being in the Netherlands and Belgium, the riders won't reach France until Stage 5. Considering that the race only has eight stages it's not so much a Tour de France but a Tour de BeneFrance!

On a positive note the areas covered the Hexagon will be well known roads to the cycling fan. Stages 2 and 3 are done on the same day, in Rotterdam, with Stage 3 being a 6.3km time trial. This is practically the same route as the prologue of the 2010 Tour de France, though slightly shorter. As in 2010 the riders will have mini climbs to do up Erasmus Bridge and Willems Bridge.

Stage 4, from Valkenberg to Liège will feature parts of the Amstel Gold race (the Cauberg), as well parts of Liège-Bastogne-Liege (La Redoute, Côte des Forges, and others).

The 167km Stage 7, from Champagnole to Le Grand Bornand, the longest stage will be an extended version of La Course by the Le Tour de France 2018 and will pass by Lac d'Annecy,  though with a preamble over climbs through the Jura. This stage will be a tasty appetiser before the grand finale, from Le Grand Bornand to Alpe d'Huez, passing via col de la Tamié, Col de Glandon, Barrage de Grand' Maison and then from Le Bourg d'Oisans up the 21 hairpins to the most famous ski resorts in cycling history. 

So the stage is set for some royal battles. We just need the actors to play their part. Without wanting to put a fine point on it I think that there is an onus on the athletes to give the fans a spectacle. It is these stories of rivalry and show-downs on the streets of the Tour de France (and the Netherlands and Belgium) that garner more public interest and capture the imagination of the fans. 

While it's great to see Annemiek Van Vleuten type athlete showing up and demonstrating pure dominance at a few races, doing it at every race or all the way through a stage race is not necessarily what engages spectators. Having one other rival is better, but still not that interesting if the rest of the field is so far behind. We remember how Van Vleuten audaciously snatched victory from Anna van der Breggen in the final metres of the race. But who remembers what the other riders did? Third placed Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio crossed the finish line well over a minute behind the two Dutch women.

What is needed is more depth. It is great to see races where it's not a given that such and such a rider will win, or that the winner will come from this really dominant team. (I'm looking at SD Worx here!)

Of course you can't reproach a rider or a team for being so much stronger than the others. We just need to see more challengers coming through. We got a flavour of that in 2023 Tour de France Femmes when Kasia Nieuwiadoma of Canyon SRAM went for it on the Tourmalet climb, and subsequently won the Queen of the Mountains jersey. We also saw that when some younger riders like Yara Kastelijn (Fenix-Deceuninck) won a stage, and also when a couple of riders (other than Annemiek Van Vleuten) from Team Movistar won stages.

Also, with this year's event starting and passing through countries that harbour an avid cycling fan base there is likely to be greater interest than in previous years especially as there will be many Dutch riders contesting the top spots.

Furthermore, the variety in the profile of races means that there is something for everyone - for the Classics rider, the mountain goat, or the sprinter. Considering that this is only a seven-day race, the organisers have cleverly packed in stages that should leave no shortage of drama for we fans over that week in mid-August. I look forward to seeing who will be wearing the yellow jersey at the summit of Alpe d'Huez after seven days and 946km of racing. 

Back doing cycle races and cyclosportives - kind of!

After years of no cyclosportives, this year I have decided to make a comeback to organised bike events. Interestingly, the coronavirus pandemic has played a part in that. After a couple of years of limited opportunities to do races and other mass participation events I now want to make the most of the chance to take part, at least while I've got my strength and faculties. 

Finish line at the Fred Whitton Challenge

When the pandemic hit us in March 2020 and sports events were cancelled, many of we sporty types felt a massive hole in our sporting programme of activities. 

Sure we still had the freedom (unlike some other European countries) to go outdoors and train, but not having a challenge to aim for meant that something was missing. It's not as though I was a prolific racer like I had been about 15 years ago, but pre-pandemic bike racing was something I had had in the back of my mind as something I was going to restart at some point in the future. 

However, as the old adage goes "you only appreciate something when you no longer have it", and this situation spoke exactly to that scenario when all racing was put on hold. All I could do at that point was to look whimsically at the list of races that I could have done here or there, and if only I could get up to the Lake District, Wales or Surrey Hills to do a cyclosportive here, a fell race there, or even a triathlon. 

So when the big, high-profile events opened entries I decided to apply - for (in order of difficulty) Ride London, Fred Whitton, and the Etape du Tour. However, the one snag about doing cyclosportives is that you have to do them - you have to put in the miles, do the training, feel confident in your ability and get yourself to the start line. So far, I have had a better year than most in recent times in terms of getting out on my bike and doing rides. I've got up to the Lake District a couple of times, the Peak District, and of course my local hills in Surrey and Kent. Plus, 

I have also been abroad for cycling, with trips to Italy and France. What I have found though now, in my veteran years is that it's quite difficult to get out and ride when I have to juggle that with life. When trying to run a house and keep the cheques coming in, that has to take priority over going out on your bike for six hours - even at the weekend. It's quite different from when I was in my 20s and 30s and felt relatively care-free. Also, back then you could turn up at a race and "wing it". 

These days one has to pre-enter races and I generally end up racing against young'uns who are 20 or 25 years my junior, who work on their power/FTP on all kinds of new-fangled gadgets and Zwift. They get themselves coaches, and quite a few race for a semi-professional team. 

So to turn up for a race now for me, has to be a properly considered decision with various questions to ask myself. Will I be competitive? How does this balance against the pile of admin, gardening, and DIY that I have to do at home - particularly if I have to allow four or five hours to do the event, and in these economic times can I justify paying this entry fee, particularly if there's a real possibility that I will finish in last place in the race! So despite all the best intentions these are the questions that run through my mind when it comes to bike events. 

Note, that I also like doing other events - running races, swimming events, triathlons and SwimRun, which I started doing last year. So that complicates the mix further. Consequently, my bike racing hasn't gotten into a full flow. I did the Fred Whitton Cyclosportive in May this year. Not feeling fully confident in my ability, I chose their cop-out option of doing the Lamb and Lion route - after Newlands Pass you can divert back to Keswick and take the main A591 road back to the HQ at Grasmere. Easy option, my a*se! I still did 73 miles and around 2,000m of climbing, including Honister Pass at the end of the day! 

I did another cyclosportive, Ride London-Essex cyclosportive. It was considered easier than the Surrey Hills version of the event. In fact, I would say it was different but equally challenging, as the course undulated constantly instead of the previous editions which had three distinct climbs through the Surrey Hills - Newlands Corner, Leith Hill and Box Hill - interspersed on a mainly flat route. The Etape du Tour (Briançon to Alpe d'Huez) is still to come, and we'll see how that goes.

In terms of more competitive events, I did a criterium race last Friday evening at Herne Hill Velodrome. As expected I was dropped from the group of women who turned out. To be fair, it was a fairly technical course with a number of tight corners. I was happy to ride slightly slower and get around the corners in one piece, albeit in last place, rather than to stack it in front of a large captive audience! There will be some summer cyclocross events taking place on Friday nights at Herne Hill too. Hopefully, I will get across to do one of those. The journey continues, even through my advancing years!

Photo of the day - 15: Crystal Palace Hills

It's getting to that time of year again when hill climbs take place. People travel long distances to race all of a couple of minutes up a very steep hill. It's a different kind of race that only seems to exist in the UK. I have heard of similar sorts of races abroad. In Italy they are known as cronoscalata, and they do them in France too. But in those events people are racing up proper mountain passes where good amateur racers could still be riding for an hour. They normally happen on iconic climbs like Alpe d'Huez, France or Madonna del Ghisallo, Italy. But in this country we have a season full of these races, meaning that although some venues are famous such as Cat and Fiddle, Box Hill or Winnats Pass (the venue for this year's national championships), many hills are unknown to all but those local to the area and hill climb aficionados. 

My quirky side got the better of me last year, and I did some hill climb races last year. I got the bug and I am doing some again this year. I am pretty slow compared to the rest of the field, but I do find that these sorts of hills do improve my own riding and hill climbing ability, so that's why I am happy to stick with it. I also enjoy those few minutes where you really push yourself so hard and everyone is there shouting and cheering for you. At the bigger events it's just like what you see on TV when the racers go up a mountain pass and massive crowds are shouting "Allez allez" at the riders.

As part of my preparation I ride the hills near where I live. We are lucky to have a choice of hills in the Crystal Palace area, so I can regularly get in a small hilly loop either at lunchtime, or in the case of today, just after work and before my clarinet class. In the 14.5km ride (9 miles approx) I managed to get in six hills and 280m (850ft approx) of climbing. The loop includes what I call the dreaded trio of Westwood Park, Canonbie Road, and Eliot Bank.  I always get apprehensive about these climbs before I ride them, but in a strange way I also feel that I have to ride them because I live in hope that in time I will learn to like them, and I will get stronger.

This is a typical quick loop that I do. To get more hills in I can also add in the ones that come up from Dulwich, and the ones in the conservation area of Crystal Palace. 

Wanna do the Prix des Rousses?

Whenever I ride La Marmotte, I don't go solely to ride this legendary cyclosportive in the French Alps. I go with the attitude to "make the most of all that's to be had while you're there!"

With that in mind, when entries open the December before, I don't simply sign up for this iconic 174km amble through the Rhone-Alpes region. Instead it's a case of subscribing to the Trophee de l'Oisans, a week-long extravaganza of cycle challenges organised by Sport Communication in the area surrounding Le Bourg d'Oisans and Alpe d'Huez.

La Marmotte and La Vaujany - the big cyclosportives that take place during that week in July have been documented by many people - including by me on the 2wheelchick blog.

Today, I would like to give mention to the Prix des Rousses, the mid-week race in the series.

1. The Prix des Rousses is named after Les Grandes Rousses mountain range in the Oisans area of the French Alps that includes a number of high peaks and lakes. There are also a number of glaciers which make it a very attractive venue for skiing and walking all year round.

2. The race takes place at around 9am on the Wednesday before La Marmotte and starts at the foot of Alpe d'Huez.

3. From the foot of Alpe d'Huez the riders follow a 40km route which finishes at the summit of Vaujany ski resort, taking in around 1600m of climbing.

3. You start the race by going up all 21 hairpins of the famous Alpe, and then proceed through the village before turning round and leaving Alpe d'Huez via L'Eclose.  You then start the descent of the 21 hairpins, but at Huez (roughly turn 7)  turn right and drop down to the village of Villard Reculas.

4. This is a lovely section, where you are basically riding part of the Vaujany long course in reverse, zooming all the way down to Allemont.

5. Once at Allemont you begin climbing again and you ride exactly the same route as the last part of the Vaujany cyclosportive except..... that you don't finish in Vaujuany village. You go a further 2km to what is known as Le Col. Many riders are not aware of this slightly extended route to the finish, and are faced with a demoralising 2km climb to the chequered flag! Don't get caught out!

6. As 40km races go, this is quite tough. The fastest rider will do it in a little under 2 hours while the last finisher takes almost 4 hours.

7. It is a mass start, with riders from various clubs and teams from around Europe taking the start line. The times when I rode it I was not particularly warmed up when the gun went, and it was a bit of a shock to the legs having to immediately tackle the steepest section of the Alpe d'Huez climb. In fact, when I did it this year I very quickly found myself at the back of the race as I watched everyone sail away into the distance and the broom wagon was practically up my bum! If this happens to you don't get too disconcerted. Just keep a steady pace, get into a rhythm and your legs gradually find their climbing ability somewhere along the 21 hairpins! You will even begin to catch those who had set off at a blistering pace and begun to run out of steam. That's what I managed to do anyway!

8. Keep in mind that you spend the first hour or so climbing. This is followed by lovely descents, but just remember that you will also spend the last 30-40 minutes climbing. Although the final climb is alot shorter than Alpe d'Huez, it is steeper. The gradient is comparable to the first couple of kilometres of the Alpe d'Huez climb, and stays like that all the way to Vaujany! Save something in the tank for this last section!

7. At the finish you are treated to generous snacks, as well a nice garden in which to sit, and the chance to chat with other riders. The views of the nearby mountains are spectacular, and they make your ride up to this area well worth the effort.

8. If you enter the whole Trophee des Grandes Rousses package of events this race is automatically included. Alternatively, you can just enter the race on the day. Turn up at the car park at the foot of Alpe d'Huez at around 8.15am, pay your 10 euros and set off with the other 500 or so riders.

Even if there are times when it feels like hard work, just enjoy the views. This is one of the most beautiful 40km races you will ever ride!
(The 2016 edition will be on Wednesday 29th June.)

Related posts:

Alpine challenge - La Marmotte

Wanna do La Marmotte?

Alpine challenge - La Vaujany

Wanna do La Vaujany?

Climb Every Mountain......

.....that's how I'll be busying myself over the next week.

The Trophee de l'Oisans - La Vaujany cyclosportive (173km/4400m climbing); Le Prix des Grandes Rousses (40km/1900m climbing); La Marmotte (174km/5000m climbing); La Grimpee de L'Alpe d'Huez (13.2km - 21 switchbacks) !

Loads of mountain passes to crest - including mythic Tour de France climbs, and many miles to cover in between.


It sounded a good idea at the time to sign up. But now the time has come to step up to the plate - and boy will it be a challenge.

Apart from the obvious distances involved, what I fear the most is coping with the heat. Normally, I would have had a few days of hot weather cycling by now. But somehow, the summer hasn't quite arrived in London and I can barely remember what real heat is like !


I spoke to the proprietor of the apartment we'll be staying in today and she said there's wall to wall sunshine and it's 32 degrees celsius. My exploits in a couple of days' time up the col d'Ornon, col de Malliol and col de la Mort etc could end up literally being a baptism of fire.

But still, I'm really looking forward to being in such a beautiful setting and discovering new places - and hopefully I'll get me and my bike up a few climbs as well.
Now where's my bike ....?

Lakeland Adventures

So here I am getting myself ready for another bike trip. It's not to do something as world renown as the Tour of Flanders, or to find some early season sunshine like in the Tour of the Amalfi coast - far from it. I'm off to do the Fred Whitton Challenge in the Lake District. And challenge it most certainly will be. This is one of the oldest cyclosportives in the UK, and it is also probably the hardest. Just hearing people mention Hardknott Pass gives me a sense of fear and loathing !

People often talk about famous climbs that are really hardcore - Alpe d'Huez, Mont Ventoux, the Muur etc. You feel a sense of apprehension once you arrive at the foot of this intimidating climb. You start off modestly, and then you realise - this isn't too bad. There's usually one, possibly two moderately difficult sections but they're over and done with quite quickly. You realise that it's do-able as long as you're properly geared and reasonably fit. Once you've finished the climb you feel a huge sense of achievement. You may even wonder what all the fuss was about !

Well, I was very apprehensive about riding Hardknott Pass when I went to the Lake District three weeks ago, I was intimidated when I saw the climb, I was on the rivet when I started the climb, I nearly maxed out at the top of the climb, and was shell-shocked when doing the descent. I did it, but with great difficulty, and just felt relief when it was over. Having to take on a series of 30% climbs with horrendously steep switchbacks for more than a mile is no laughing matter. It doesn't matter what gearing you have on your bike - whatever you have, you will be over-geared ! I know exactly what the fuss was about - in fact I wonder why there is not more fuss made about it ! More importantly I wonder if 3 weeks has been enough time for me to recover from that awful cycling experience !

When we rode it we had already ridden 50 miles. This Sunday when we ride it
during the Fred Whitton Challenge we will have 100 hilly miles in our legs, after having done Kirkstone, Whinlatter, Newlands and the dreaded Honister passes. Oh, my God ! Well I'm not even bothering with racing pedals - spd's for me so I can walk up the road easily - as I will inevitably have to do at some point ! I've also packed wet weather gear, and have put my Continental 25mm Gatorskin tyres on, for added grip - a necessity for when coming down one of the many infamously steep descents in the rain.

Apart from that small detail of the 112mile cyclosportive, I am looking forward to the trip. This will be my second time in the Lake District this year. Before this year, the last time I had been there was in 2003.
The Lake District may have ridiculously steep roads to climb, and damp weather, but the place is still beautiful. I really loved the views of the mountains and the lakes last time around - I particularly liked the views around Lake Coniston. There was a great sense of tranquility, riding through the forest, with the Lake just beside me and the mountains just beyond the lake. The sun even made an appearance, which revealed the various colours of the mountains in all their splendour.

I shall look forward to seeing all that again, and possibly doing some walking. I might even manage to fit in a boat trip.