Looking for a holiday to remember? Look no further. |
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Toughest climbs Biggest Mountains Best Support Team |
Looking for a holiday to remember? Look no further. |
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Toughest climbs Biggest Mountains Best Support Team |
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| Fitness | Technical - Bikes & Gears | The Cols of the Pyrénées | ||||||||||||||||||||
I'm not sure if I'm fit enough to ride the big cols? We find that any rider who is used to riding for more than two hours at a time, or who rides more than four hours per week can get up ok.
What's it like riding up the cols It is a long steady ride where your legs steadily become more and more tired. The biggest difference you'll notice is the lack of any rest. There is seldom more than 10 metres on any col where you can freewheel and take a break. This means that if you push too hard and go into the 'red zone' the only way to get back is to slow down to a pace where you can recuperate - tricky on a 10% slope. Riders tend to find that their aerobic fitness is sufficient, but it is always leg strength that gives out first. This is generally because of overgearing. Depending on the size of the col and your speed you will find yourself in the saddle for between 40 minutes and 2 hours. We'll also keep you well supplied with water as in going to be hot. How can I train for riding the cols? The thing you most need to practice is pedalling at an even constant pressure on the pedals and never freewheeling during an hour period. Ironically the best way to practice this is by riding on your own on the flat or on the turbo-trainer. This will enable you to get used to riding without ever freewheeling and resting. Also, if you get the opportunity, go riding in hot weather to get used to the heat and learn how much you need to drink. |
My mate tells me I'll be fine with a full size double chainset, as he got up Alpe D'Huez with one We're sure that your mate did get up ok. However you are going to have a more pleasant time of it with some lower gears, as did the 2006 Alpe d'Huez winner in the Tour. As an example the fastest climber we've ever had visit, said this at the top of the Col du Tourmalet: 'A triple would have been nice, as I wasn't able to spin quite as fast as I would have liked on my double'
Compacts, Triples & rear cassettes If you're choosing which bike to bring on your holiday or wondering whether any changes are required, we would advise trying to get the lowest gears possible. This will make much more difference than reducing the weight of the bike. The biggest difference you can make is to fit a big rear cassette with, at the very least, a 26 tooth ring on it. A triple chainset is the best option, but if you don't have one already, a compact chainset will be an easier and cheaper upgrade. A number of leading Pros have taken to using compact chainsets on Pyrenean stages in the Tour, so you'll be in good company.
What difference will it make? On the steeper sections of the cols (10%) a typical club rider on a traditional double chainring will manage a cadence of 40 turns per minute in his lowest gear (39 x 27). With a triple chainset the same rider will be able to pedal a cadence of 50 - 55. In addition he will apply 30% less force to the pedals than on a double. In practical terms this means you can ride for longer with a triple before 'hitting the wall' and you will recover better after you reach the summit. |
Riders often say that the Pyrenean mountain stages in the Tour are harder than those in the Alps. Whilst the Pyrenees does not have cols as high as the Galibier, as a general rule of thumb the cols are steeper with gradients normally varying between 8 and 10% for large sections of the cols. In addition for those riding the Tour, the Pyrenean cols tend to be much closer together with often just a few hundred metres between the foot of one col and the start of the next.
 Col Classification Cols are classified into categories to give an indication of difficulty. Cols are categorised from 1 to 4 with 1 being the hardest and 4 the easiest. In addition those cols of exceptional difficulty are categorised HC (in French Hors Categorie - outside category) rather than 1. Our local cols break down:
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