Tour des Alpes 2014! Great challenge for road cycling enthusiasts
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Join us for an exciting cycling experience of the summer, on what we call “Tour des Alpes 2014”. We will ride almost like professionals. We will go through the most famous passes of Alps in France, Switzerland, Italy and Austria with car support on the way and good accommodation to get rest for the next day stage. Overall we will ride our bicycles for almost 1250km and gain elevation of 33 000 meters (108 267 feet) during the 10 days on our tour.

Highlights on the tour:
-    Famous French mountain passes, which are often visited by Tour de France, like Col de la Bonette (2802 meter high is the highest paved road pass in Alps), Col d Izoard (2361 meters high, on Tour de France in Hors Category, or beyond category classification) and Col du Galibier (2645 meter high is the 9th highest paved road in Alps).
-    Swiss high mountain passes Furka Pass (2429 meters high pass used in James Bond movie Goldfinger) and Oberalp Pass (2044 meters high pass, which is also pass for well-known Glacier Express railroad).
-    Rest day in beautiful Italian village Livigno, which is great for shopping due its special tax status as a duty free area.
-    Partial copy of stage 16 of Giro d’Italia 2014. Mountain passes Mortirolo (1852 meter high), Gavia (2621 meter high) and Stelvio (2757 meter high) in one day!
-    Finish of stage under Tre Cime de Lavaredo ("the three peaks of Lavaredo"), which are probably the best known mountain formation in Alps.
-    Zoncolan (1750 meter high), which is probably the most demanding mountain climbs in road cycling, which was part of Giro d’Italia in 2007 for the first time.
-    One of the spectacular roads in Austria, the Grossglockner High Alpine Road (2505 meter high), which goes under the Austria’s highest peak Grossglockner (3798 meter high).

What does “riding like a pro” means for us?
-    Bicycle riding of 9 stages in 10 days with average length of 140km and 3700 meters elevation gain per stage.
-    Car support during the whole way (bike service, refreshments…)
-    Sleeping in good hotels, with good, high nutrition food. Preferably with wellness or massage possibility.

Preliminary program:

STAGE 1: Vinadio, ITA – Guillestre, FRA; 147km; 4230m gain
Main points: Col de la Lombarde, Col de la Bonette, Col de Vars
Highlights:
-    From Italy to France through three beautiful passes.
-    Col de la Bonette (2802m), is the highest point in the whole Tour des Alpes 2014. On the top, there is possibility for additional 2km loop around the Cime de la Bonette (2860m), what is the highest paved through road in the Alps.


STAGE 2: Guillestre, FRA – Les Deus Alpes, FRA; 160km; 4680m gain
Main points: Col d Izoard, Col du Lautaret, Alpe d Huez, Col de Sarenne, Les Deux Alpes
Highlights:
-    From Regional Natural Park Queyras to Grande Rousses mountains.
-    Climb to Col d Izoard (2361m), which surroundings looks like desert. Col d Izoard is often part of Tour de France with Hors Classificaiton, or “beyond category”, climb and many memorable moments occurred here. At the top, one can even find memorial to Coppi and Bobet, great cyclists from post-war era of cycling.
-    Col du Lautaret (2058m), was formed by glacier, what has an effect that it has rather easy gradient of the slopes to both of its sides.
-    Alpe d’Huez (1860 m), well know ski resort, was used twice in one stage in Tour de France 2013. First time the pass was used as through pass towards Col De Sarenne (1999m), and second time as final climb of the stage.
-    Ending destination of the stage 2 is Les Deux Alpes, ski resort with the largest ski able glacier, even during the summer. 


STAGE 3: Les Deus Alpes, FRA – Moutiers, FRA; 161km; 3550m gain
Main points: Col de Lautaret, Col du Galibier, Col du Telegraphe, Col de la Madeleine
Highlights:
-    In 2011, Col du Galibier (2645m) was climbed twice during the Tour de France, in order to celebrate, the 100th anniversary of the pass being part of Tour de France. Under its summit we can find single lane road tunnel controlled by traffic lights, which are among the highest such installation in Europe. At the south portal of the tunnel, we can find a monument to Henri Desgrange, instigator and first director of the Tour de France.
-    Col de la Madeleine (1993m) was described as “beautiful, but breathtaking” by Bradley Wiggins during Tour de France 2012. Is one of the passes in the hors category, or “beyond classification”.


STAGE 4: Bourg-Saint-Maurice, FRA – Martigny, SWI; 150km; 3420m gain
Main points: Col du Petit Saint Bernard, Col du Grand Saint Bernard
Highlights:
-    Stage, which can be called “around Mont Blanc” or “three states in one day”, is connecting two “brother” summits. Col du Petit Saint Bernard (2188m) and Col du Grand Saint Bernard (2469m). Smaller of the two brothers, Col du Petit Saint Bernard is the border between France and Italy, higher of the brothers, Col du Grand Saint Bernard is the border between Italy and Switzerland.


STAGE 5: Munster-Geschinen, SWI – Bonaduz, SWI; 127km; 2110m gain
Main points: Furka pass, Oberalp pass
Highlights:
-    Stage through beautiful Swiss high mountain passes.
-    Furka Pass (2429m), which was used in James Bond movie Goldfinger in 1964, and the Oberalp Pass (2044m) with one of the springs of river Rhine.


REST DAY: Livigno
Highlights:
-    Livigno, the “paradise” of duty free shopping, has a rich history and amazing surrounding, so perfect place to get rest for the second half of our Tour des Alpes 2014.


STAGE 6: Tirano, ITA – Prad auf Stillfraujoch, ITA; 136km; 4760m gain
Main points: Mortirolo, Passo Gavia, Passo Stelvio
Highlights:
-    The stage of the stages. Partially copy of stage 16 of Giro d Italia 2014.
-    Three iconic Italian passes: Mortirolo Pass (1852m), Passo Gavia (2621m) and Passo Stelvio (2757m).


STAGE 7: Urtijei, ITA – Tre Cime di Lavaredo, ITA; 118km; 4370m gain
Main points: Passo Sella, Passo Pordoi, Passo Giau, Tre cime di Lavaredo
Highlights:
-    Welcome to Dolomites!
-    Passo Sella (2244m) is one of the four passes used in winter to create “Sella Ronda” on skis around the Sella group. Sella group is plateau shaped massif with highest peak Piz Boè (3151m).
-    Passo Pordoi (2239m), the highest road pass in the Dolomites.
-    Tre Cime di Lavaredo, in English: "the three peaks of Lavaredo", are three distinctive battlement-like peaks, and are probably one of the best-known mountain groups in the Alps. Road ends just in front of this formation in 2320m altitude.


STAGE 8: Oberdrauburg, AUT – Sutrio, ITA; 84km; 2680m gain
Main points: Passo di Monte Croce Carnico, Zoncolan
Highlights:
-    From Austria to Italy, to try 22% gradient climb.
-    Passo di Monte Croce Carnico, also known as Plöcken Pass (2780m) is on the border between Austria and Italy.
-    Zoncolan (1735m) is a highly demanding climb. Is one of the most difficult in Europe, with maximum gradient of 22%! In Giro d Italia was Zoncolan used just few times so far, with its debut in 2007.


STAGE 9: Sutrio, ITA – Zell am See, AUT; 144km; 3530m gain
Main points: Passo di Monte Croce Carnico, Grossglockner High Alpine Road
Highlights:
-    Final kilometers in Austria.
-    The Grossglockner High Alpine Road (2505m) is a panoramic road, named after the Großglockner, the highest mountain in Austria. It leads with numbered curves to the Kaiser Franz Josefs Höhe Visitors' Centre, with a great panoramic view of the Pasterze Glacier and the Großglockner itself.

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