Col du Galibier da Valloire

The video of this race is one of the most beautiful of our production. In particular, a magical atmosphere envelops us in ridingthe last kilometers of the Col du Galibier. We recommend you download and watch the trailer.
This videorace starts from Saint Martin de la Porte, direction Saint Michel de Maurienne that we reach after 5 km easy.
Leaving the center of Saint Michel de Maurienne and after a short attack rather quiet , the road of Col de Télégraphe almost immediately proposes a rather challenging, with slopes steadily around 8 % or more. A kilometer after the village of Les Seigneurs the road levels off , remaining always on slopes of medium hardness up to the eighth kilometer, where it gives more breath with a series of tight haipins leading up to the junction for Valmeinier , after about ten kilometers uphill. There's not much to the top, but the last mile, the road starts to climb , with gradients up to 10% , up to the top at an altitude of 1566 meters (km 17). From the top of Télégraphe a short descent leads quickly in the small town of Valloire (1400m ) , from where the real climbing the Col du Galibier begins.
Shortly after passing the village, the first confrontation with the giant : a ramp to a kilometer to 8% , which alone showing how it will be tough , because from Valloire to the summit are still more than 17 km.
At the height of Les Verneys, the climb is broken by a long false flat three kilometres long, after which the road starts to climb again, always with slopes between 7 and 8% . Throughout the first part of the ascent, about ten kilometers, is a long climb of the valley, except for a few curves, the remain always goes straight, completely open. Once in sight of Plan Lachat (Km 32, altitude 1968) , the slopes decrease for a short distance , offering the last chance to catch his breath before the last eight kilometers challenging: then begins the final part of the climb, the harder one, and here on the difficulties are likely to increase progressively, in parallel with fatigue. Immediately after Plan Lachat a wide bend marks the end of the long straight up the valley , look at the top intercepts the top of the giant , which is sensed , rather than saw , the looming presence , while the one that you see very well is a sequence of haipins that climb the mountain. The road climbs into a landscape particularly austere, almost desolate , if it were not for the massive imposing , beautiful , that form the backdrop to the last part of the ascent, which is shown here in all its harshness , bend after bend , until last final surge , just below the pass . One kilometer from the summit meets the tunnel that leads directly to the other side , towards the Col du Lautaret . Continuing to rise , we find the last terrible wall, with three bends close together and very steep : here the gradients become suffocating . Finally, after the last bend , glimpsed the sign of the step, and you get to touch the hump of the giant rock .
After a brief look at the magnificent surrounding landscape , we begin the descent to the Col du Lautaret . At 41.5 km we cross the memorial Henri Desgranges , we contincontinue to go down to the Col du Lautaret where the race ends.
Detail of the climbs :
Col du Telegraphe 11.7 Km altitude : 823 Mtr Average gradient : 7 % Maximum gradient : 10%
Col du Galibier 17.6 Km altitude : 1210 Mtr Average gradient : 7 % Maximum gradient : 11.5 %