Tuesday 17 July, Wednesday 18 July and Thursday 19 July<\/i><\/p>\n

Genuine cycling enthusiasts know the famous Alpine passes by name, and this year there are once again a few classic ascents along the route. Among other things, the cyclists face the Col de la Croix Fry, the brutally steep Plateau de Gli\u00e8res, the Col de la Colombi\u00e8re, the Col de la Madeleine and the Alpe d\u2019Huez. The Alpine trilogy commences on Tuesday 17 July with a ride from Annecy to Le Grand-Bornand. A day later, the race is going from Albertville to ski resort La Rosi\u00e8re, and Thursday 19 July sees the conclusion at the summit of the mythical Alpe d\u2019Huez.<\/p>\n

Excitement is guaranteed, and to take part in the final victory, the classification riders mustn\u2019t drop back in these stages. That means your favourites are under enormous pressure, which draws plenty of cycling fans to the French Alps every year. It can get extremely busy, certainly on the infamous climbs, and absolutely at the finish. That means that to be sure of your spot along the route, you have to claim your place in good time. You\u2019ll have to be there on time anyway, since the route of the stage is often closed of hours in advance. This means you\u2019ll often have to go up the mountain on foot (or by bike) to lay claim your spot.<\/p>\n