Col du Glandon

The last part of the Col du Glandon climb
Originally uploaded by cbnystrom.

This is the final few km's of the climb of the Col du Glandon. In a few hours the race will arrive. This is a beautiful climb and long at over 20km. The descent is treacherous with many twists and switchbacks over a narrow road.

I was looking through photos from the 2004 Tour de France and decided to post this one as it brings back some beautiful memories.

We decended Alpe d'Huez via a narrow road of the side of the mountain and rode through the valley before climbing the Glandon. Near the summit we sat at a table on the outdoor terrace cafe on the last switchback.

We could view the race on the climb and then right at our feet entering the switchback. Then we were able to walk 20 feet behind our table to the roadside and stand on the road as they exited the switchback.

It was another amazing day at the Tour.