Being the Tour de France race director should give Christian Prudhomme various stressed nights. Within the small hours of a September morning – weeks earlier than the next 12 months’s route is introduced to a clamouring crowd of riders, journalists and boulangerie proprietors – I think about a panic-stricken Prudhomme coming to from a nightmare that includes the identical outdated mountains and TT kilometres because the earlier dozen editions. For a Tour de France route to be heralded successful, a extra eclectic set of levels is required – France must be effectively and really toured. As many stones as attainable have to be turned. And for this 12 months’s route, the race director had a bona fide eureka second.
OK, I’m not suggesting that the race director wakened at some point screaming ‘GRAVEL!’ on the high of his lungs – however for the needs of this characteristic, let’s run with it – as a result of as a proof of 1 specific stage, it suits the parcours completely. Barely out of his pyjamas, then, and lengthy earlier than the boulangerie proprietors, half of the professional peloton and a cluster of journalists had the prospect to investigate as to what on earth he was raving about, stage 9 of this 12 months’s Tour had been signed, sealed and delivered. Quick-forward to mid-Could 2024 and our CW crew – me, my brother James and photographer Richard – have been en route to search out out for ourselves simply what wild imaginative and prescient entered Prudhomme’s thoughts that fateful night time.
Grappling with gravel
Our vacation spot: the rolling Champagne area, the place this 12 months’s stage 9, on 7 July, will begin and end within the city of Troyes. Conjured in a second of genius, Prudhomme and the Tour’s lead course designer, Thierry Gouvenou, inserted 14 gravel sectors overlaying 32km of the 199km stage. An excellent transfer, except you’re Remco Evenepoel who was frankly disgusted with the thought of together with the chemins blancs within the 2024 Tour.
Brothers in arms at Monmartin-le-Haut,
(Picture credit score: Future)
The climate within the few days previous to our go to was scorching and sunny – wall- to-wall sunshine in Troyes with afternoon highs of 24oC. Excellent. However after clicking the little arrow on the BBC Climate app that lets you embark on somewhat time journey, we have been regrettably knowledgeable that on the day of our arrival, and all through our time there, the temperature would drop by some 10oC, the wind would choose up and, in fact, it might rain. Oh, for the love of gravel…
After our first night time within the Champagne area, we breakfasted on that basic Continental melange of meat, cheese and bread earlier than heading to the beginning of the course only a few clicks out of the city. We rode amid cool climate and drizzle so tremendous it barely registered, our eyes as an alternative feasting on the billiard-table-smooth roads – probably resurfaced for the Tour’s pending arrival – a wonderful lack of visitors, and a fairly astounding panorama. Neat rows of pinot gris roll to the horizon, then again once more; as if somebody’s picked up the panorama like a carpet and shaken good waves into it.
So James I and pedalled away from Troyes and additional into grape and gravel nation. The advantage of using with a sibling is they’ll lend you a tenner for an Orangina and a Camembert cob once you go away your pockets on the resort. The dangerous factor about it’s that there’s at all times a touch of an argument within the air. However the route so far was so idyllic that we have been having fun with each other’s firm immensely, commenting on French countryside quirks and paying homage to a vacation spent within the area again in… effectively, what appeared like mild years in the past.
There isn’t a lot to say in regards to the first 50km apart from its aforementioned fairly, rolling nature, however then instantly gravel occurred. An sudden immediate from my Garmin knowledgeable me that I’d quickly be taking a left flip. “I don’t see any left turns, do you?” I requested James. “Solely that beaten-up path over there,” he replied.
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So it was that we entered the primary gravel sector at breakneck pace, and Prudhomme’s dream was being realised – proper right here, proper now. Then we stopped and consulted the map, simply in case. Nearly happy that this was certainly the proper approach and our Garmins hadn’t diverted us to Mordor, we continued. The tech beneath us about to be examined was, in James’s case, a Specialised Roubaix with hints of suspension within the fork and the seatpost and 32mm tyres; and beneath me, a Large Revolt X Professional with 40mm of entrance journey, a dropper put up and 42mm tyres.
Stage highlights
Should you’re planning on heading over to France for a first-hand Tour expertise, the gravel stage is the closest to Blighty, with Troyes being simply 4 hours by automobile from Calais. Right here we’ve marked out the most effective locations to observe the stage – however get there early, the hills particularly are premium vantage factors.
Côte de Val Frion: This gravel sector may break up the peloton and even show a launchpad for a race-winning transfer. Anticipate a number of jostling for place within the kilometres previous to this a part of the course.
Côte de Chacenay: Steep gradients and gravel abound. If the Côte de Val Frion doesn’t get any bites, then the Côte de Chacenay, some 10 miles down the highway, most actually will. It’s tough, rugged and ridiculously steep.
The ultimate 60km: With virtually as a lot gravel as tarmac, the latter a part of this stage will likely be an actual deal with to observe. Helicopter footage of riders ripping up rustic roads within the Champagne area could possibly be a number of the greatest at this 12 months’s Tour.
If I used to be a betting man I’d say that when the Tour rides this stage, we’re unlikely to see any of the peloton piloting gravel bikes. The truth is, we’re unlikely to see something even loosely resembling a gravel bike. Which is a disgrace, as a result of this floor is ideal for them. Whereas earlier than I’d assumed the Large Revolt X had been designed for multi-surface endurance outings, it was now abundantly clear it had been designed particularly for this path.
I rocketed alongside, effortlessly displacing unfastened substrate as I rode. Because the rain stopped and the solar toyed with the thought of placing its hat on, a certain quantity of mud crammed the air. We lower via a sequence of quintessential French villages with their bar-tabacs, boulangeries and charcuteries – none of which have been open, in fact.
Such was my urge for food at this stage I may have propped up the native economic system till the Tour arrived – however, alas the retailers have been closed, as regular, so we fished extra gels from our pockets and located the subsequent sector. Very similar to me with the gel, the Revolt devoured up the quick, flat observe underneath its broad, off-road tyres and begged for extra of the identical.
It was on the fourth and fifth sections of gravel that the experience grew to become decidedly extra bumpy. Now simply over midway via the stage, the rolling slopes had been changed with far sharper, bracing gradients that if you happen to’re constructed like me – whatever the bike you experience – are an actual sod to ascend. Sector 11 (they depend down from 14 to at least one) contains not solely 3,429 metres of coarsely strewn gravel, but additionally the doubtless peloton-splitting fourth-category ascent of the Côte de Val Frion.
We stopped on the high to catch our breath, and to take a position on what may transpire at this level in the course of the race. “I believe Matthieu van der Poel will assault right here,” opined James, “and solo the subsequent 90-odd kilometres again into Troyes.”
“Pogačar,” I retorted – largely as a result of “Pogačar” was now my reply to any cycling-related queries. Who’s going to win the Tour? Pogačar. Who’s going to win the Worlds? Pogačar. Who’s going to win the forty first version of the Jock Wadley Memorial Highway Race? Pog– you get the thought. In seriousness, nevertheless a lot because it astounds me to assume this, not to mention write it in a nationwide publication, I don’t assume Pogačar will win this stage. My hunch is that James’s Van der Poel prediction is right. That stated, all the Classics specialists within the race may have checked out this stage and run out of ink underlining it, so it’s not at all a foregone conclusion. This will likely be a hard-fought belter of a stage.
The chemins blancs will likely be good for puncheurs however purgatory for many GC males
(Picture credit score: Future)
White lightning
Having negotiated what we thought of the decisive part of the day, the run-in to Troyes started. However hold on, we’d solely ridden about 10 kilometres’ value of gravel at this stage, so the place was the remainder of it? Proper in entrance of us. Sure, the concluding kilometres of stage 9 of this 12 months’s Tour are virtually completely composed of the tough stuff . Amazingly, the white paths (the literal translation of chemins blancs) fl ow one after the opposite – all the best way to town limits, with the fi nal six sectors all coming within the fi nal 33 kilometres.
First issues fi rst, although – it was time for a Pogačar-esque assault. No, not simply to upset James however as a result of, after cautious examination of stage 9’s Strava segments, I’d famous that every of the gravelly ones had solely 80 or so earlier entries on the leaderboard. It occurred to me that if I approached these with a excessive stage of exuberance, I’d come away with a shiny new crown. I’d must go deep, although, very deep.
And so it started: I bid James bon voyage – I’d be using the subsequent sector solo except he had the inclination to hitch me in vying for the place of the quickest man within the French vineyards – and let rip. It wasn’t lengthy earlier than I used to be fizzing like a badly pulled pint of lager as grape farmers leapt from my path. One can solely think about the hushed conversations that passed off within the bar-tabac that night: “C’était… c’était… horrible!” As dishevelled as I seemed and as poorly paced as this effort might have been, sheer will drove me on to the end line on the Boulevard du 1er Ram in Troyes.
Map of the ninth stage of Tour de France
(Picture credit score: Future)
The placement
The best way to get there
Troyes is just 110 miles south-east of Paris, so there’s the choice of flying into the capital after which continuing by practice, automobile and even bike all the way down to the Champagne city. Likewise, you would get the Eurostar into Paris from London. We selected to drive, which took simply over 4 hours from Calais and was a really simple journey utilizing toll roads.
The place to remain
So late within the day, it’s probably that every one motels in and round Troyes are already at capability. Nevertheless, trying on Airbnb there are ample choices in Troyes and out on the course itself which would offer house from house consolation whereas experiencing the most important annual sporting occasion on the planet. We stayed on the Lodge Kyriad the place rooms begin at £73 per night time: Lodge Kyriad, 44 Av. Chomedey de Maisonneuve, 10000 Troyes, France (+33) 325452922.
The place to eat
This being France, there are myriad eating choices and the meals is nearly at all times distinctive. The regional speciality, nevertheless, is andouiette – a sausage constructed from all of the bits of a pig that usually get hurried into the bin. Give it a attempt… however don’t blame us! We ate at Signorizza Troyes, a mid-tier Italian eatery, nice for pre-ride carbo-loading. Signorizza Troyes: 42 Av. Chomedey de Maisonneuve, 10000 Troyes, France, (+33) 325761375.
Again on the resort and after a demi- pression of bière blanche, I uploaded my experience to Strava in preparation of a ‘hey, have a look at me’-themed night. Nothing. Not even a high 10. Simply my luck that every one the opposite riders on the leaderboard have been WorldTour professionals recceing the route. Silly Tour de France.
Strava-segment searching apart, this has all of the makings of a stage for the ages. It will likely be ridden flat-out by the one-day specialists and endured with gritted enamel by the GC guys, however a sure younger man from Slovenia. With hints of Flanders, options of Paris-Roubaix and optimistic wafts of Strade Bianche, this will likely be a stone chilly Traditional in the midst of the best Grand Tour of all of them. So pour your self a glass of bubbly, sit again and benefit from the present.
