Never has the term ‘no pain no gain’ been more deserved. As cyclists we are no strangers to the rewards of a great view that so often unveils itself after the arduous effort of a mountain climb, but Tre Cime takes this task and those epic views to another level!
Starting off your day by the serene shores of Lake Misurina, a perfect Dolomite backdrop of two of the three ‘Tre Cime di Lavaredo’ peaks is your every inspiration and, although this is only a short climb at just 7.5km, it’s certainly not for the faint hearted with the back half of the climb pitching up to an eye watering 15%!
First used in the 1967 Giro d’Italia, on that occasion the stage was deemed null and void at the end after spectators were pushing the riders up its vicious gradients. A year later and Eddy Merckx romped up the slopes to take victory, sighting it as one of his best ever! Such is the history and heritage of this fabulous climb.
The endless three hundred and sixty degree panoramic views are quite possibly the very best the Dolomites have to offer. Everywhere you look the jagged peaks surround you, shifting their colours as the light touches them and, if you’re as lucky as we were, the mountains appear like a painting nestled amongst lush greenery. The picture is complete. True mountain perfection.
Dan Martin talks Tour de France, mountains, crashes and more!
May is always a good month of the year, the mountains start to sing once more and for the professionals it’s the first good opportunity to recon some of the key stages of the Tour de France. Stopping by The Col Collective HQ for a couple of days we were fortunate enough to host UAE Team Emirates leader Dan Martin as he preps for the World’s biggest bike race.
Now in full on TdF training let’s just say the ride to check out Stage 14, featuring the Col du Soulor and Col du Tourmalet, was “brisk”. We were then able to slow Dan down just long enough for a chat on how he came to love cycling, some of his early memories of the mountains, his insight into training with power, recovering from crashes, what he thinks of the shorter more punchy mountain stages and more. So sit back, grab a coffee and enjoy! Check out the interview below.
Special thanks to Dan for taking time out to visit, be sure to give him a MASSIVE cheer if you’re roadside at the Tour this July!
SUMMER IS HERE!
We’ve just hosted our first ‘Grand Cols’ week of the season and WOW, what a way to start the summer! From the serpentine slopes of Luz Ardiden to historic Tour de France tales on the Col de Peyresourde and Col d’Aspin, the climbs don’t come much grander than the legendary Col du Tourmalet…..and that’s just a taster of what this week has to offer.
Fully supported at every pedal stroke from the moment you arrive to the moment you leave, if you’re still seeking a summer adventure our next ‘Grand Cols’ week starts on July 4th, for more details click here.
BOOK YOUR PLACE ON OUR GRAND COLS WEEK
Our Pyrénéan tours are based from our guest house in the heart of the Hautes-Pyrénées, surrounded by nature and tranquility yet with all the modern touches and good food we cyclists need for a week in the mountains. Be pampered with delicious home cooking, including our now talk-of-the-town stone baked pizzas, full on the road support and all the recovery love we can give from ice chilled recovery shakes to the latest Normatec recovery boots. We have a fully stocked workshop and the latest Cannondale road bikes available too, so rest assured we have you covered!
