
Length: 31.7km
Altitude: 2,360m
Height Gain: 1,438m
Average Gradient: 4.5%
Maximum gradient: 7.0%
With Ventoux behind me,
I was looking forward to continuing my journey through the Alps, and eventually
back to the medieval town of Langres, where it all started. While long and
challenging, the ride from the valley floor of Eygliers to the thriving city of
Grenoble was probably the most satisfying of all the days I’d ridden so far.
Close to the Italian
border, at the junction of the D902 and D947, was the turn-off to the Col
d’Izoard (2,360 metres). Separating the Guil and Cerveyrette valleys, the
remoteness and beauty of its route, amidst a stunning geological backdrop, is
as scenic as it gets. Once at the turn-off, the gradient becomes more severe,
along an almost constant straight line of more than 6 kilometres, until you
reach the tiny village of Brunissard. From here the road winds steeply through
the trees. Finally, as you get closer to the top, the surrounding landscape
changes dramatically and you find yourself in the barren scree slopes of the
Casse Déserte wilderness, which are often photographed to showcase the Tour de
France.
![]() |
The village of Brunissard |
Standing below the
eroded cliffs of the Casse Déserte, about 2 kilometres from the summit, is the
memorial to two of the great Tour riders: Frenchman Louison Bobet and the great
Italian cyclist, Fausto Coppi. Dual winner of the Tour de France, in 1949 and
1952, Coppi also won the World Championship Road Race in 1953 and the Giro
d’Italia on no less than five occasions.
In the 1953 Tour,
Bobet, on his way to gaining the yellow jersey, and the ultimate prize, took
the lead at the foot of the unmade road up the Col d’Izoard and was almost nine
minutes ahead of the pack by the time he reached the summit. Not competing in
the race that year, Coppi stood underneath the Casse Déserte, at the site where
the memorial now stands, watching Bobet’s famous breakaway. As Bobet rode in
indomitable isolation past him and other spectators, the awestruck Italian was
heard to say to French team manager, Marcel Bidot, “Beautiful, that was simply
beautiful.” No fluke, and testament to his durability and determination, Bobet
also went on to win the Tour de France the next two years, becoming the first-
ever three-time winner of this great event.

Lycra, Lattes and the Long Way Round
‘High Spain Drifter’ is available on Amazon , Barnes and Noble, Booktopia and other online bookstores.
‘Lycra, Lattes and the Long Way Round’ is available on Amazon, Book Depository, Barnes and Noble, Kobo Books
Both books are also available at local bookshops on the Mornington Peninsula: @ Rosebud Bookbarn and @ La Brocante
“Ride as much or as little, as long or as short as you feel. But
ride”.
Eddy Merckx, Belgian road cycling legend
No comments:
Post a Comment