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 yr’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 previous mountains and TT kilometres because the earlier dozen editions. For a Tour de France route to be heralded successful, a extra eclectic set of phases is required – France must be properly and really toured. As many stones as potential have to be turned. And for this yr’s route, the race director had a bona fide eureka second.
OK, I’m not suggesting that the race director awakened at some point screaming ‘GRAVEL!’ on the high of his lungs – however for the needs of this function, let’s run with it – as a result of as an evidence of 1 explicit stage, it matches 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 yr’s Tour had been signed, sealed and delivered. Quick-forward to mid-Could 2024 and our CW staff – me, my brother James and photographer Richard – had been en route to search out out for ourselves simply what wild imaginative and prescient entered Prudhomme’s thoughts that fateful evening.
Grappling with gravel
Our vacation spot: the rolling Champagne area, the place this yr’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 masking 32km of the 199km stage. A superb transfer, except you’re Remco Evenepoel who was frankly disgusted with the concept 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. Good. However after clicking the little arrow on the BBC Climate app that means that you can embark on just a little time journey, we had 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 decide up and, in fact, it could rain. Oh, for the love of gravel…
After our first evening 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 just some clicks out of the city. We rode amid cool climate and drizzle so nice it barely registered, our eyes as an alternative feasting on the billiard-table-smooth roads – presumably resurfaced for the Tour’s pending arrival – an excellent lack of site 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 excellent 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 will lend you a tenner for an Orangina and a Camembert cob while you go away your pockets on the lodge. The unhealthy factor about it’s that there’s at all times a touch of an argument within the air. However the route to this point was so idyllic that we had been having fun with each other’s firm immensely, commenting on French countryside quirks and reminiscent of a vacation spent within the area again in… properly, what appeared like mild years in the past.
There isn’t a lot to say concerning the first 50km apart from its aforementioned fairly, rolling nature, however then abruptly gravel occurred. An surprising 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 Big Revolt X Professional with 40mm of entrance journey, a dropper put up and 42mm tyres.
Stage highlights
In case 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 automotive from Calais. Right here we’ve marked out the most effective locations to look at the stage – however get there early, the hills particularly are premium vantage factors.
Côte de Val Frion: This gravel sector may cut up the peloton and even show a launchpad for a race-winning transfer. Count on 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 can be an actual deal with to look at. Helicopter footage of riders ripping up rustic roads within the Champagne area may very well be among the finest at this yr’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. In actual fact, 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 Big 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 free substrate as I rode. Because the rain stopped and the solar toyed with the concept of placing its hat on, a certain quantity of mud crammed the air. We reduce by a collection of quintessential French villages with their bar-tabacs, boulangeries and charcuteries – none of which had 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 outlets had been closed, as traditional, so we fished extra gels from our pockets and located the following sector. Very like me with the gel, the Revolt wolfed up the quick, flat monitor below its vast, off-road tyres and begged for extra of the identical.
It was on the fourth and fifth sections of gravel that the experience turned decidedly extra bumpy. Now simply over midway by the stage, the rolling slopes had been changed with far sharper, bracing gradients that in case you’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 possibly 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 would possibly transpire at this level through the race. “I believe Matthieu van der Poel will assault right here,” opined James, “and solo the following 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 Street Race? Pog– you get the concept. In seriousness, nevertheless a lot because it astounds me to suppose this, not to mention write it in a nationwide publication, I don’t suppose Pogačar will win this stage. My hunch is that James’s Van der Poel prediction is appropriate. That mentioned, the entire Classics specialists within the race may have checked out this stage and run out of ink underlining it, so it’s in no way a foregone conclusion. This can be a hard-fought belter of a stage.
The chemins blancs can be excellent 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 dangle 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 yr’s Tour are virtually solely composed of the tough stuff . Amazingly, the white paths (the literal translation of chemins blancs) fl ow one after the opposite – all the way in which to the 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 following sector solo except he had the inclination to affix 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 occurred 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 situation
How one can 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, automotive and even bike all the way down to the Champagne city. Likewise, you could possibly 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 seemingly that every one accommodations in and round Troyes are already at capability. Nonetheless, wanting on Airbnb there are ample choices in Troyes and out on the course itself which would offer dwelling from dwelling consolation whereas experiencing the largest annual sporting occasion on the planet. We stayed on the Resort Kyriad the place rooms begin at £73 per evening: Resort 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 sort of at all times distinctive. The regional speciality, nevertheless, is andouiette – a sausage constituted of all of the bits of a pig that always get hurried into the bin. Give it a strive… 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 lodge and after a demi- pression of bière blanche, I uploaded my experience to Strava in preparation of a ‘hey, take a look at me’-themed night. Nothing. Not even a high 10. Simply my luck that every one the opposite riders on the leaderboard had 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, strategies of Paris-Roubaix and constructive wafts of Strade Bianche, this can be a stone chilly Traditional in the course of the best Grand Tour of all of them. So pour your self a glass of bubbly, sit again and benefit from the present.
