For mountain lovers
At Ruiz Ski Academy, when the snow season comes to an end, we change the skis for the bike. When thinking about cycling and, specifically, competitions, it is inevitable that the Tour de France and the Giro d'Italia are not on our minds. That is why every summer we organize a trip to the legendary ports of these two great stage tours, intended for all those who enjoy cycling both on television and on the road itself.
The place
Enjoying cycling in the pearl of the Alps, an incredible place surrounded by an enviable heritage of white roads due to its border position and its past of fortifications, is undoubtedly one of the best experiences for a road cycling enthusiast.
A point to highlight is that, thanks to strategically chosen accommodation in a town in the Upper Susa Valley, we can access all these ports with a single hotel. At Ruiz Ski Academy we have great knowledge of this area since it is the place where Carolina resides in Italy.
The legendary climbs of the Tour de France and the Giro d'Italia branch out from the center of the valley in a dense network of routes that make them one of the most impressive cycling areas on the planet.
And the greatness of the Alps is not only limited to cycling, but it is one of the favorite places for hikers, skiers and mountaineers.
The ports
- Colle delle Finestre: It is located in the Cottian Alps, in the Italian region of Piemonte, which links the Susa Valley and Val Chisone. The road was built around the year 1700 to access the fortresses in the area, mainly the Forte di Fenestrelle.
- Colle del Sestriere: This mountain pass in the Alps is an essential event for ski lovers, but it is also a legendary setting for great tours such as the Giro and the Tour. The profile of the ascent to the Col del Sestriere is that of a pass with gentle slopes. Of its 16 kilometers, only one exceeds 7% on average.
- Col Alpe D'Huez : Also known as the port of the Dutch, it constitutes one of the great challenges for every port enthusiast. The beginning is the hardest part with about 4 or 5 km that have a steeper slope.
- Col de la Sarenne: Incrustado en el Valle de Ferrand, presenta tramos de dureza extrema, gran longitud y una carretera estrecha y sinuosa. Es una bonita alternativa después de coronar el Alpe D'Huez.
- Colle Madeleine: Está localizado en los Alpes franceses, en el departamento de Saboya. Comunica La Chambre, en el valle de Maurienne, con Aigueblanche y Feissons-sur-Isère, en el valle de Tarentaise.
- Col del Galibier: Situado en la región sur de Francia, es a menudo el punto más alto del Tour de Francia. El Galibier conecta Saint-Michel-de-Maurienne y Briançon a través del col du Télégraphe y el Col du Lautaret.
- Colle de Nivolet: This mountain pass located in the Gran Paradiso massif, connects the Valsavarenche valley with the Orco Valley. Its highest point is 2,612 m high. It is located within the Gran Paraíso National Park, Italy.
- Col de la Croux de Fer: Also known as Croix de Fer, it is a mountain pass 2,067 meters high. It is located in the French Alps, in the department of Savoy, and is a road that connects the towns of Le Bourg-d'Oisans and Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne.
- Lazos Monvernier: Les Lacets de Montvernier is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful climbs a cyclist can do. The road is narrow, fun and with good ramps. It is made up of 17 horseshoe curves, one after the other. In the Alpe d'Huez each curve occurs every 600 meters, here, in Les Lacets, there are four in that same distance.
- Col du Chaussy: The Col de Chaussy is a mountain pass located on the eastern slope of the Maurienne Valley and connects Pontamafrey-Montpascal with La Chambre, in Savoy. The link is made on the same slope, between the Arc valley surrounding on its slopes the peaks to the west of the Pointe de l'Armélaz.
- Col du Télégraphe: This mountain pass located in the French High Alps, is located between the Massif d'Arvan Villards and the Massif des Cerces. The Télegraphe fort, near the mountain, has a strategic position over the Maurienne valley.
- Col d'Izoard: It is a mountain pass located in the Alps, in the Hautes Alpes department in France. It is accessible in summer by the D902 road, linking Briançon to the north and the Guil valley in Queyras, which ends in Guillestre in the south.
Other ports in the area :
Col du Mollard, Col de la Lautaret, Col l'Iseran, Col du Glandon, Col Montgenevre, Col du Mont Cenis, Colle de Frais, Cofession.