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You are definitely on a climb straight out of town, but the roadside art and rising views kept me pretty busy. The climb proper arrived after around 40 kilometers. I’d watched the Giro summit this climb live on TV a few times, read of the storied ascents from yesteryear and marveled at the switchbacks snaking up a never-ending pass. We stopped in town for a last cappucino to steady the nerves and steel the determination. My mind was already farther up the pass as we drifted up the first “slopes,” a perfect little bike path built recently to shepperd the flock to the grail. Trinkets of interesting life dotted the roadside, calling you to stop…but up, up, up beckoned.

The first switchbacks and 10% grades came about 10Km later as we climbed above a gorgeous little church in a field. A dozen more in the next 5Km brought us to 6,000’ and the open slope that appears in so many pictures, only 30 to go.

The slog seemed endless at times, but the views more than made it passable. Higher and higher it went, just the way you wanted it to. The tight set of turns near the top told you the end was near and taunted you with their endless meters, some 100m up in the last 400m alone.

The crowds were a surprise. Pedestrians meandering, motorcycles revving, cars waiting. We rolled to the van and and lunch, hunkered away on a side street just off the maelstrom. I wasn’t the fastest, nor slowest…but that mattered only in our small brains. This was BIG beauty. Big vistas. Big fanfare. And then we went down

A sedate plunge (is that a thing?) from 9,000’ to Bormio. I passed a bus near the end. It was a stupid choice, but such is the revelry of the high mountains when anything seems plausible after a summit of the Cima Coppi.

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Col du TELEGRAPHE

In my mind I’d always placed the Telegraph in an equally rarified state as the other classic big Alpine mountains. Maybe it was some long ago Tour coverage on TV that gave it a mythic status, or maybe it was a lack of research about the climb itself. The reality was only slightly diluted from the dream, and very enjoyable. It was the first of a two climb “epic” and was my “warm up” climb so I wasn’t racing myself up it, taking 1:01 to climb the 7.43 miles and 2,770’ at 224Wavg. The road is really consistent and “flows” pretty well from turn to turn. But it’s also relentless, a nearly constant 7% that never weighs on the legs, but you certainly know you’re climbing. It’s Hors Categorie for a reason.

The Tour has climbed the Telegraph 37 times since it first appeared in 1911, most recently the HUGE day that was Stage 20 in 2026, with Richard Carapaz on a straight tear across four major climbs - certainly one of the best stages of the year

Col du Galibier

With the table set by the Telegraphe, I was ready for the Galibier. A nice little drop to Valloire, thru the town and off again moving UP. I felt it more than the Telegraphe, probably from fatigue and altitude. The Galibier starts at about 1393M/4,600’, high enough that altitude impacts your aerobic system significantly. Wherlin and Hallen estimated a drop of ~6.3% per 1000m/3,300’ of your aerobic capacity and around 5-8% of Threshold power. At the top, 8,500’/2600M it’s about 15% of your usual VO2max capacity and 17% on power for non-acclimatized riders. I lost about 3% on average power on the 2nd climb, although it was not a “max” effort, so I guess (?) it was ok? Felt pretty spindly legged TBH.

Most of the big climbs I have done can be divided into two parts, usually separated by a single turn that is often a bridge over a river. The Valloirette river crossing marks the turn onto the true summit push of the Galibier, about 6.3 miles above Valloire. There is still almost 5mi and 2,000’ of elevation gain remaining.

The last kilometer climbs up and above the tunnel to the “true” summit. 283’ at 9.3% done at 261W for the finale. The summit of La Grande Galibier (10,590’) sits on your left shoulder, another 2,000’ above, and the valley that is the western approach unfolds below.

I didn’t summon the courage to drop and do the South side. I regret that and will certainly make a return to make amends and find other great Passes Project climbs nearby. Col du Sarenne, the backside route to Alpe d’Huez and Col du Granon come immediately to mind as there’s always another climb to find!

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Climbing The Colle delle Finestre…

My first “true” climb in the Alps on my 2018 trip. On difficulty it is the hardest climb on the Passes Project coming in at 9.4% average over 1669m of elevation gain, wow!

It first hit my radar in May watching one of the most epic attacks in history by Chris Froome in the Giro d’Italia. He launched off the front of the peloton as they hit the dirt roads about about 8Km up the climb. An audacious attack meant to wrest the Maglia Rosa from Sean Yates and deliver a knockout blow to his other rivals…and it was sublime. I knew I was going to the Alps that summer and that I simply had to ride this legend.

The reality is that I’d slept in Charles deGaulle Airport waiting for my train to Grenoble, sat on a train for a few hours, drove a few more and rode a bit of a climb across the valley from Alpe d’Huez, slept a bit, drove a few more hours to the start….which is the long way to say – not my best day! I knew that when the little cyclo-tourist woman passed me just before the dirt started. She was chatting away to her friend as they pedaled on by. I was stoked to see the water stop.

I started in Oulx for a downhill start to my ride. I stopped for a cafe and croissant in Susa and felt completely happy! On a solo vacation and riding in big mountains. Delirious at the prospect of climbing a big pass and then another.

The climb hits hard from the base, jumping above 10% in the first couple hundred meters and it rarely lets off the rest of the way. If memory serves I was rolling on a 52×36 and probably an 11-28, maybe a 30. It was 2018, so i was still pretty strong, so the 28 seems plausible…but I hope it was a 30, that I was smart enough to bring a 30.

The switchbacks start about 3 fdmiles up, 23 in a row over the next mile. 2 more miles of pavement bring you to the previously mentioned water stop and the end of the pavement. This is where Froome attacked, 4 miles and 2000′ from the summit.

I finally stepped out of the “climb like you’re serious” mindset on the dirt and just enjoyed the experience. Views like the one above are truly a gift…very far from my everyday. Then I heard the bells…

Cows! A big ‘ol herd of cows 2/3rds the way up the Finiestre. It was awesome! At the end of vhe video you can see the top fo the climb at the edge of the blue sky, a bit of the pass visible high and center left a bit. Still a long way to go!

I trudged on. The road gradually opening above me. Surprisingly I averaged 215W for the 2+ hours it took to climb. Surprising because I find that my power is typically awful on long climbs. Fear? Nerves? Altitude? Not sure..but I’ve never truly attacked a big mountain pass full gas (yet).

Above is from the top or pretty close to it. 2176m of climbing fun.

Bomber descent, respecting the mountain and not going too fast. Then onto the Sestriere climb, the “easy” summit. It wasn’t too bad really, but I was pretty cooked by the time I found a little resturant serving lunch in the quiet ski village. A final plunge down to my start town and the day was done. Not impressive by the numbers, it still ranks as one of my all-time favorite rides and a definite top 5 climb all time.

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