As a lifelong fan of both pro cycling and The Tour de France, I have often daydreamed of climbing those iconic Hors Categorie climbs that I have watched the greats race up during the Tour.  My buddy Alexis and I decided it was time we put our money where our mouth is, and that we get to the French Alps to do some riding ourselves.

I trained my ass off for 4 months in preparation.  Long rides down Route 9W in New Jersey.  Hill repeats on the Alpine climb in Palisades Park, hill repeats on the 10% gradient Fort George Hill in Washington Heights, fast laps around Central Park, interval training on my spin bike indoors, and of course full body strength training in the gym geared toward strengthening my weak points I felt while cycling.

Alexis lived and trained in and around Los Angeles.  We kept each other in check throughout training.  I had questions.  I was training in New York City to ride the biggest climbs in the French Alps at elevation.  Most people I spoke to in NYC were doubting how I was going to successfully translate NYC cycling fitness to the brutal climbs of the Alps.  The doubts were certainly in my head.

However, I never cut corners in my training.  I rode whenever I had the time to ride.  6:00am.  At night.  In the rain.  Didn’t matter.  I got it done, full on.  I was prepared.

We showed up to France in the shape of our lives, and confident that we were.  You know when you are ready.  That matters.

We based ourselves at Hotel Oberland in Le Bourg d’Oisans, at the base of the iconic Alpe d’Huez.  We rented top of the line Wilier Zero SL bikes from Oliver, who owns Cycle Huez in Huez Village.  We had planned to acclimate with some rolling valley rides during the first few days of being there.  That didn’t happen.

On Day 1 we rode right up Alpe d’Huez.  It was epic.  We felt awesome, and afterward, we decided to get after it for the rest of the week.  We revolved every day’s ride around climbing a major Hors Categorie climb.  By week’s end, we climbed the following:

• Alpe d’Huez
• Col de La Croix de Fer
• Col du Lautaret
• Col du Galibier
• Col de La Madeleine
• Col d’Izoard
• Col du Granon
• St. Christophe en Oisans / La Berard

I love to climb.  I like digging in, and managing the discomfort levels you feel from burning legs, elevated heart rate, and body fatigue, and finding a way to push just the right amount.  You have to know where your limit is, and there is a delicate balance you must be aware of to avoid going too hard and going into the red.  It is some sick enjoyment of suffering that takes place, that I sometimes dread in anticipation of, but love it, and keep coming back to it.

Descending, however, is not my strong suit.  I am fearful, and tentative.  I had ONE good day of descending in France during that week.  At the top of the Col de La Madeleine, I felt good, and I decided to put the hammer down.   It is 26 km downhill.  Somehow, that day I got in a groove.  It all made sense.  I was focused.  I was taking chances, but it felt right.  I was in control.  By the time I hit the bottom section I was in the zone.  I am proud of that day.  I put myself in an uncomfortable place, and I got comfortable there.  I will never forget it.  Most importantly, I survived.  In addition, I know that I can not only get to that place again, but next time, I will do even better.  That’s powerful.

We ate as one should in France, without abandon.  Every day we drank our fair share of beer, wine, and our beloved green Chartreuse.  During our rides we filled our water bottles with LMNT Electrolyte powder, and Tailwind Endurance Fuel.  One thing I did in addition, knowing I would wake up during the night a few times, was before going to sleep, I filled a bottle with water and an LMNT packet.  By each morning, I had downed it.  It kept my hydration proper.

By the end of the week, I came to the realization that my training for the trip was on point.  I built “the engine” to do what it needed to do.  As long as I nourished it, and fed it constant food, electrolytes, and hydration, it would go.

Most importantly on this trip, we had an absolute blast.  We ate, drank, explored, and laughed our asses off.  It was a trip for the ages.  We left France feeling on top of the world, with a major feeling of victory.  This could not be a one and done.  We need this again.  It was too good.

The Pyrenees are calling next…