Rich@ Posted June 11, 2007 Share Check out how our rides compare to one stage of the TDF Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Saint Posted June 11, 2007 Share Any idea of the differances in gradient percentages? Madaleine might be higher than hilltops but hilltops may just be steeper. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
linnega Posted June 12, 2007 Share Hilltops is not particularly steep - max at around 8-9%, av around 6% if memory serves me right. With its length, Hilltops would be a cat 4 (or cat 3 if near the end of the stage) at the Tour. Boulders may qualify as a cat 2 climb if towards the back end of a stage. The Madeleines average gradient is close on 7% if I remember right, but you will have a few sections where there are 3-4 kms at close to 10% av. What you have to take into account with the Alpine climbs is the sheer length. A climb of around 2km (Hilltops) will never compare with 20km+ of climbing even if the average gradient was only 3%. For your average joe, the climb time would be clsoe to 2 hours on both the Galibier and Madeleine. I spent nearly 90 minutes of the Etape riding the Col d'Aubisque. That is a helluva long time to be climbing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PokerFace Posted June 12, 2007 Share The Argus is considered to be a fairly flat race. This just proves the point! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Delgado Posted June 12, 2007 Share Hell but Suikerbossie is a mamoth "climb"!!!? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pastapouch Posted June 12, 2007 Share Hell but Suikerbossie is a mamoth "climb"!!!? Suikerbossie is a hump in the road to the overseas riders Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Big H Posted June 12, 2007 Share Some of the climbs in Europe has gradients of up to 16% in them. Most modern roads are graded to ensure proper sight distance, safety and ease of gradient for motorists. Most of the european passes were ancient routes used by early travellers to cross the mountains or military roads. Some later passes were built to reach holiday spots for wintersports. Still many of them are ancient and were not built or designed with motorists in mind. The were only incidentaly paved at a later stage. Many of these passes were stil gravel in the early years of the Tour de France. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nellie Posted June 12, 2007 Share The Argus is considered to be a fairly flat race. This just proves the point! haha - that's what we tell all of you - and then the Gautengers go back sulking because we didn't tell them we have mountains Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lancealot Posted June 12, 2007 Share You call the bumps in the Argus mountains? Its only speedbumps!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fyndraai Posted June 12, 2007 Share Sien die kinders is uit die skool. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lancealot Posted June 12, 2007 Share praat jy van jouself fyndraai Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Big H Posted June 12, 2007 Share Gaan ons alweer getreat word met 'n intieme gesprekkie.....mmmmmmmmm????????? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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