Post Eight – Montee du Somnoz

The Montee du Somnoz is a HC climb. For those not as familiar with cycling terminology, a climb that is given the ranking of HC is beyond category. ie – it’s the hardest of the hardest. Today was our third HC climb in four days. As Jens says, “shut up legs.”

One of the challenging things about Somnoz is that you have to climb just to get to the start. We left the hotel and basically started to climb. After about a 10km climb at an average of about 4%, we made a right hand turn. By that time we had already gone up about 2,000 ft. As our guides told us, this is where the fun starts. Fun, I think to myself? And what else might you classify as fun, doing a double triathlon? Or perhaps pulling out our fingers nails one at a time? We made the turn and up it went. I was told there were beautiful views of Annecy, the lake and the valley below. Perhaps. My focus was on the road in front of me. 

While we all got to the summit, it was not without a troubling sight. About two-thirds of the way up, we came across a terrible accident. A women who was descending on her bike had crashed into a car. Laying on the side of the road, she was screaming in pain while people were trying to help her. The ambulance had not arrived. Our guides stopped briefly to lend assistance, but there was little they could do.  We continued to climb and made it to the summit. It was only then did we see the ambulance making its way down the mountain. This is not what I want to remember about Somnoz.

Despite this incident, today may have been, at least for me, the best riding we have done. Almost perfect weather, incredibly beautiful villages, long 10 km descents, and mountain vistas like I’ve never seen before. All in a cycling crazed country that is France. Viva la France.