Thanks to long-time reader and old friend, Rich, I might be heading to the Alps for potentially the perfect pre-taper TMB ride – the Défi des Fondus, a cyclosportive so local that their website is not translated to English. I’m actually not sure if this is a real cyclo because I haven’t determined if it’s timed. It seems more of an endurance challenge, much like the Tour du Mont Blanc.

Pictured above is one of the best descents in the French Alps, the Bonette. It’s also a pretty hard 26km climb that will take you up 1600 meters. This is the first climb of the day no matter which distance you choose to do. After the Bonette (you can choose to just do this one) your next option is 4 climbs:

Maurin (a lovely dead-end climb that Rich has recommended to me), Vars and Cayolle (probably the most beautiful climb in the Alps). 197km / 4250m.

If, as the website says, your “physical condition is good”, you can tell the organizers along the way that you’d like to give 5 climbs a go, in which case you add the Allos after the Cayolle and get 232km and 5380m under your belt.

But wait! If you are an exceptional day and are not tempted by the many bars of Barcelonnette, you can add two more small climbs – Pra Loup and Super Sauze – and sleep very well for a week because you’ve now ridden 270km and 6400m.

I’ve done all these climbs (except the Maurin one) multiple times, but of course never all in one day. June 29th is 2 weeks before TMB, so I’ll try and do at least the 4 col option, but if I’m going all the way up there I probably should push it and go for 5. Rich will be doing 7 it goes without saying, but I won’t be tempted to follow his lead, not that I could follow him for more than a few meters anyway.