The 2012 Gruyerè Cycling Tour

August 26, 2012

With the new fashionability of the timed Gran Fondo/Cyclosportif in North America, event organizers need to find that special feature that will attract cycling enthusiasts, such as the presence of pro like Ryder Hesjedal in British Columbia or a brutally hard course or a great jersey.  But looking across the Atlantic, sometimes just riding in the most beautiful scenery on the planet is enough.  At least that’s what participants in the Swiss-modest Gruyerè Cycling Tour held every August should feel  entitled to believe.

The view from my little rental chalet in Charmey

Oddly enough, in multilingual Switzerland the name of the event is in non-official English but you can expect French to be the primary language when you line up at the start in Bulle, with Swiss German in strong evidence as well.  The Gruyerè Region is located about 60 kms south of Berne, the nation’s capital and of course includes the famous cheese town of the same name, although one will simply pass through Gruyerès on the way to the finish line.

Registration is accomplished online and while not inexpensive does include a special jersey for the ride.  The rules require that all participants wear the jersey during the ride (although there were scofflaws to be seen).  I was planning to ride with Dan, a friend from Zurich, and was pretty sure that I would lose him in the first ten minutes among all those blue/white/red jerseys.  Spendthrifts can also buy matching bib shorts.

Dan's train arrived in Bulle ONE MINUTE LATE!

 The evening before the Sunday ride you can go to the Espace Gruyerè, a large multi-function hall in Bulle and pick up your jersey, start number with timing chip.  Organization is excellent (we were informed of our start numbers by text message on Saturday afternoon) and we quickly had our cloth start bags, which included the aforementioned items as well as a very green water bottle promoting Canton Vaude, the French-speaking province in with the Gruyerè Region sits, a reflective band and some brochures.  Saturday also sees a children’s event and a ride for the mobility-impaired. 

The Espace Gruyerè also housed a cafeteria and a number of exhibitors selling familiar brands such as Trek, Pinarello and Polar.  The Swiss Cycling Federation had a stand to encourage membership but had a few things to sell too, including Cancellara Bouillon which, to our disappointment, contained no Fabian DNA to make you go faster but was just a $19 container of dehydrated vegetable stock.

Switzerland appears to be going through a boom time in cycling, certainly due partially to the omnipresence of the Great Fabian, who appears on Trek advertising as well as a campaign to encourage helmet use.  One of the brochures listed all the various similar cycling events, both timed and not, taking place in the country and this coordination, which did not exist only a few years ago, shows the rising interest.

Dan fondling a new Trek and drooling.

Returning to our little chalet in Charmey, we were discouraged by the pouring rain that began in the evening and continued relentlessly through the night.  In the morning it was cool but the rain had stopped and the grey clouds looked to be breaking up.

Home sweet home, for a week

Registration can take place on Sunday morning but everyone was ready to leave when the starting gun went off precisely at 9:00.  Although the Gruyerè cycling event is timed, it is quite different from other sportifs in that the timing is not the overall time spent on the course but just a particular section of the course.  The shorter 85 km route’s timed section was an uphill stretch of 9.3 kms, while the longer 125 km route had timed sections totalling 22.44 km, also uphill.  The purpose of only timing only these sections was to prevent the kind of mad and dangerous dash at the start of many gran fondos as thousands of riders attempt to force their way to the front before the first climb.

The masses await the start in a very relaxed manner.

As we left Bulle en masse, it seemed pretty fast to me but a walk in the park compared to the Italian ride I had done in May where cyclists were colliding in their haste.  The Swiss riders were careful when overtaking and the first challenge, a 1.2 km long tunnel that ran downhill at high speed until it emptied out in a traffic circle, was very well-managed.  Of course, I lost Dan immediately as we jostled for position but I never lacked for company during the day.  And everywhere we rode there were escort motorcycles and flagpeople at intersections to ensure the safety of participants.

In Broc, an old house and arched bridge

Soon the road headed up and as expected the group began to break up as we rode through the villages of Broc and Charmey, where small groups of people stood and cheered us on.  To our right across the valley one could see the impressive fortress of Gruyerès high on its ridge.  There was a steep section after Broc but this was not going to be the big challenge for the day, judging from the profile.  After Charmey, we rode a marvellous section of flat road, surrounded by the lush green fields and rugged hills of the region.  Although Gruyerè lacks the drama of the High Alps it is nonetheless stunning, with the beautiful landscape, near-flawless roads, picturesque villages and flowers everywhere.  The sun was starting to break through and all were enjoying the ride.

Well, until we came to Im Fang and the first of a number  of sections of road construction.  This was the worst as it required everyone to walk their bikes through loose gravel.  Soon enough we were on smooth pavement again and then the road turned south and we found ourselves on a very narrow road that began to climb noticeably.  It got narrower and narrower and steeper and steeper:  we were now on the big ascent of the day, the Mittelberg.  The road was only as wide as a single car and was closed to traffic although the odd official vehicle as well escort motorcycles passed us.  This was the first time section and we would climb more than 560 m in the 9 kms.  I rode with some Quebecois, and then an Englishman living in Zurich and heard other languages and accents around me.  While the climb was hard, the scenery was distracting us and the sun had now come out for our glorious summer outing.

As we approached the top, people were standing and cheering loudly and with a final little sprint I crossed the timing mat to bring me to the first food stop.  There were masses of riders there but compared to the German food stops at events there the selection was a bit limited, with bananas, some fruit jellies, oranges and water and some energy drink.  There was also a great deal of Gruyerè cheese in single-serving packages and I stuffed my jersey pockets full.

 Now I was thankful I had brought my rain jacket and long-fingered glove liners as we began to descend.  The ride down from the Mittelberg, again on a road the width of a single car (so small it does not appear on my large-scale Michelin map), was an amazing high-speed experience through Swiss forests and alongside  a little stream.  Down, down, down we zoomed, surfacing again  at Saanen.  Here the route split, and those heading on the 125 km stretched continued south to Gstaad while the rest of us rode west towards Chateau-d’Oex and the direct road back to Bulle.

Me, wearing the Official Jersey

Although the road is marked in red on my map, it is definitely suited for cycling and with the majority of the climbing behind us, it was time to go into time trial mode until the next food stop at Les Moulins and at 60 kms.  Although we had to stop several times to allow what must be the world’s slowest train to cross the road, we made excellent time, including chasing and passing escort motorcycles, on the flat/downhill run that brought us through Gruyerès proper and then back in Bulle and the finish line.  My transponder was removed from my start number and I retain the number (which is personalized with your first name) as a nice souvenir. 

After taking my bike back to the car, I walked back to the Espace de Gruyerè and took advantage of the facilities to have a shower and get changed.  There were lots of families and friends at the finish, cheering on the cylists who continued to ride across the line.  I used up some of my Swiss Francs and bought two beers but before I could get started Dan rolled up so I passed one to him.  The longer route he had done included two more climbs, but neither was as hard as the Mittelberg but I was still impressed he had completed his ride so quickly.

After looking around at downtown Bulle and finding a light meal (and $4 ice cream cones that were worth every penny), Dan took his train back to Zurich.  Just as he left, he received another text message giving him his results for the time section and his standing.  Talk about Swiss efficiency!

A storefront sign in Bulle

I rode 88 kms for the day and climbed 1200 m, according to my GPS.  I apparently placed 66^th in my class for the Mittelberg climb and suppose I would have done better if I had not stopped to take photos.  I have to admit that for me the big attraction of the Gruyerè Cycling Tour  is not how fast I can finish it since this is the kind of ride that, on a fine summer’s day, you never want to see end.

A Ride into the Past: L'Eroica

L'Eroica 2007
photo by Dale Brown, Cycles de ORO

In the spirit of le Cirque du Cyclisme but moving to an outdoor arena, l’Eroica is a cyclosportif (that is, timed) event that is Italy’s answer to France’s Paris-Roubaix and, like that ride, offers versions for professionals and amateurs at different times of the year. Rather than facing cobblestones, participants need to contend with the strade bianche, the “white roads” of Tuscany, stretches of loose gravel that make up half of the course. The course is also very hilly, with steep grades and up to 4000 m of climbing.

Many of the participants do the ride (and there are varying lengths, with 205 km being the long route) on vintage bicycles, while wearing vintage clothing. Helmets are not mandatory to maintain the period feeling. Getting into the spirit of it all, many cyclists show up with dawn-of-time racing bikes–one of Fausto Coppi’s domestiques came last year! They wear wool jerseys and have tubular tires wrapped around their shoulders. Many wear goggles to deal with the dust. The food stops are vintage too, since they will give you salami and Chianti wine, just like in the Good Old Days.

The Indomitable Pashley Guv'nor

There are good reports of the atmosphere of the event here and here, along with photos of some of the bikes that were entered. As well, TOUR magazine in Germany did an article with excellent photos that can read (in German) or admired in .pdf form here. However, my favourite account by participants in the October 2008 ride surely must be David and Bryce, the English madmen who work for the U.K.’s Pashley Cycles and who turned up in Tuscany ready to ride Pashley Guv’nors, a “modern” replica of a 1926 Pashley gentleman’s racing bike. They brought the up-market version, complete with three-speed Sturmey-Archer internal hub gearing. For 4000 m of climbing. There is an entertaining account of their trip here, and the video below will give you an idea of what they went through. And it is no wonder that while their time was not terribly fast, they certainly deserved to be distinguished by being judged in the Top Ten group of cyclists who were the “most heroic.”



Beginning in 1996, the event has developed into a wildly popular one. In 2008, some 3,000 participants descended on the tiny town of Gaiole (pop. 2,300!) to take part in L’Eroica. Although vintage bicycles were preferred, there was no restriction on any other bicycles, so there were not only current racing bikes to be seen but even mountain bikes.

“Basta!” say the organizers now and the rules have been changed. There will be an event for everyone in June but the Real Thing will be held on October 4. Bicycles must be pre-1987, an arbitrary date that sort of marks the wide availability of concealed cables and clipless pedals. These will not be allowed, even on bikes of the right age, and shifters must be mounted on downtubes, an exception being for period-correct (non-indexed) bar-end shifters.

I have just learned that the current June issue of Outside magazine has a l'Eroica story as well. Read about the Giro di Salame here.

Needless to say, I really, really, really want to ride L’Eroica. If you want to ride with me in October 2010, here is where to sign up. The history, the romance, the difficulty all combine with the Chianti to make it irresistible. And the herd of Tin Donkeys has been expanded with the acquisition of a suitable bike, which will be the subject of another post shortly. Suffice it to say, it will not be a Pashley Guv’nor.

Tour d'Enfer Day 6: A Long Day Indeed (Part One)

Briançon is the hub for a lot of rides over great climbs. With our time ended in the town, we packed up the bags and loaded them on the bus and then began to ride out into the bright morning sunshine. The plan for today was to do the longest ride of the Tour d’Enfer, around 100 kms, and include two more famous climbs.

Our first climb was the Col de l’Izoard. A part of the Tour de France since 1922, it has appeared in the itinerary more than 30 times, and the first men over the top are legends of the Tour: in 1923, it was the mercurial Henri Pélissier, whose stormy life eventually came to an end when his girlfriend shot him, apparently with some justification. Sylvère Maes, Gino Bartali, Jean Robic, Fausto Coppi and Louison Bobet crossed first multiple times, and other great names included Bahamontes, Merckx, Thévenet, van Impe and Chiappucci. The last man to cross the Izoard first was Stefano Garzelli in 2006.

The ascent begins right in Briançon proper, as you pass by a big sign for the col and then start climbing almost immediately up a steep little grade. This was a bit of a nasty surprise but the road levelled off somewhat and we began a steady climb up from the town, with a view of the valley to the left. The route was wooded and green and the road was marked with milestones indicating the distance covered and the grade.

The climb is considered a Hors Categorie (HC) and is 20 km (12.43 miles) in length, with an average grade of 5.7 percent. From Briançon’s altitude of 1220 m you climb to 2361 m (7746 feet) ASL , a vertical gain of 1141 m (3743 feet).

The first six kilometers or so were actually fairly easy. Today would be special in that the road over the Izoard was going to be closed to vehicular traffic and we saw a considerable number of cyclists on the road, although the majority of them would be leaving Briançon en masse after us. I was feeling very refreshed in the coolish morning air and we made good progress. We passed a number of local cyclists but looking back down the valley we could see the fast guys on their way.

We came up to the fork in the D902, with the left turn taking you to the village of Cervieres (1636 m). Off to the right we saw a bicycle propped up next to a sleeping bag. This was a lazy cyclist who was still asleep but obviously wanted to start partway up the climb. We left him to his dozing and soon came to a small rustic hotel, compromised of a number of rural buildings. It was just beyond this that we came to the “Route Barée” sign, with a barrier blocking the road to cars, no that there had been many cars up to this point anyway.

It was now starting to get pretty warm and the climbing was beginning to get more serious, with the next 7 kms (4.3 miles) averaging more than 8 percent. The horseflies now made their appearance, which was most unwelcome. It ruins your rhythm to try and speed up and drop them but they are not only irritating when they fly around you, they inflict nasty bites. The fast guys were now catching up to us, and I discovered the simple expedient of riding close to them as they passed and the flies all went over to them!

A number of serpentines took us above the tree line and past the Refuge Napoleon, a small inn not far from the top of the pass. We soon arrived in front of the impressive monument at the top of the col and our first pass of the day was accomplished. Of course, this called for the usual variation of col sign photos. Greg took a nice picture of me, and then one with me and Heike and Frank and our Specialized bicycles. This was the first day when I saw a number of French riders with Specialized bikes as well; the brand is not nearly as visible as a supplier to two pro teams would be expected to be in Europe.

Local riders congregate in front of the museum
The cyclotouristique riders had assembled in large numbers and were consuming rather odd and unlikely food, such as cold cuts. It did not look much like the kind of food you get on a ride in Germany or the US but everyone looked pretty fit so I guess it works.



Making my way through the hordes of eating cyclists, I was able to get into the little cycling museum at the top of the Izoard. With an 86 year long presence at the Tour de France, the Izoard features in many legendary battles. The museum, which was staffed by one very bored looking man (presumably from the local tourism office), had some interesting bicycles. The best was a velocipede, the kind of iron bike with the pedals attached to the front wheel and which nobody would have ever been able to ride up the pass. There were a lot of posters (“The History of Brakes,” “The Role of Clermont-Ferrand in the Bicycle Industry,” and so forth) but it seemed that nothing had been added since the pass was crossed by Pascal Richard of Switzerland in the 1989 Tour de France. Since the museum looked like a volunteer effort by a regional cycling club they will probably get around to it someday.

The descent was quite entertaining, with an average gradient of 6.9 percent all the way down to Guillestre, 16 km (10 miles) away, but the first half of the drop must be closer to 9-10 percent. The D902 took us through the Casse Déserte, “the Broken Desert,” which is a region of steep, barren eroded sandstone, familiar as a backdrop in old photos of the Tour de France. Just below the summit there is a small monument to Fausto Coppi and Louison Bobet that I looked for but I ended up riding right past it, to my immense irritation. I saw some cyclists turning off the road but did not see a reason for it, but at least some of group had the chance to visit it. Bobet had the measure of the Izoard, being the first across it on three occasions, while il Campionissimo did it twice.

The road plunged downwards, with nice steady curves that I could really open up the speed on, and we tore past the village of Brunissard, entering the Queyras Valley, and travelling through dramatic narrow rock canyons that make up the Guil River gorge. This region of the Alps was one of the last to be opened to tourism and is not very built-up.





We rolled into Guillestre, a small town that had once been the scene of many border conflicts between the French and the Italians. We turned into the town proper, which required a brief descent, and came to the central square where we stopped for a coffee. Several of the other Tour d’Enfer participants joined us and then we started up the road for the second climb of the day, the Col de Vars.



The first climb of the day, completed
(profile from climbbybike.com)