Haute Route Rockies, Colorado 2017

A few club members are riding Haute Route events this summer – seven day amateur stage races on some of the worlds most beautiful mountain roads (Alps, Pyrenees, Dolomites). I’m doing the first edition of the Haute Route Rockies in Colorado this week. Some asked for a daily blog, as I’ve now finished Stage 3 it’s about time to start.

The HR Rockies is 800+ km, 15,000m climbing with a few passes over 3,000m including Independence Pass at 3,687m. 20% of the route is on gravel although a much higher percentage of the riding time.

Lead up & preparation.
In my own limited way I raced the Haute Route Alps in 2013. It was brilliant, it really hurt but riding near threshold everyday I didn’t notice much of the scenery. This time I trained hard, climbing 57,000m since 1st Jan, not to race, but to avoid suffering like a dog everyday so I could ride steady and enjoy the scenery being somewhere so different. That’s the excuses out of the way & no reporting of my GC position.

The Team - Pente 14
Pente 14 is the creation of our Directeur Sportif, an ever generous Geordie called Steve. A collection of middle aged men from England/France (Steve) Australia/California (Ian), California (Bear), England (Will & Steve) & Dublin (Ceall & myself). Steve designed the blingy-ist kits in the peleton. We have our names, flags & race numbers printed on the jersey. He also pulled some strings so we have race numbers 001 to 006. Following my wife’s suggestion I have dual UK & Irish flags. The Rockies sees us reunite 5 of the HR 2013 team plus Ceall. It was great having Ceall as a local training partner keen to do nighttime hill-repeats up Three Rock in January & February with full lights on. Excellent winter base training for us both.

Stage 1
Boulder to Boulder
107km, 1,999m climbing. 4hr 17m riding.

Altitude is a big factor here as not only do we go higher than European passes, we stay high & sleep high so acclimatisation is vital. The first stage was designed as an acclimatisation stage for all of us flying in. Start in Boulder at 1,600m, climb Sunshine Canyon to 2,892m and eventually returning to Boulder for another nights acclimatisation sleep.
Not quite that simple though – gravel roads. Everyone was fearing it - even World TT champion Emma Pooley. We did a beautiful/horrible recce climb a couple of days earlier. Wheels were slipping all over the place & no chance of getting out of the saddle as the back wheel immediately slipped. Descending at 15–20 kmh with cramping hands from all the braking, rear wheel only otherwise your front could slip away. Fortunately we had stumbled across one of the worse gravel climbs in the area which wasn’t part of HR and Stage 1 was a little more manageable. You have to look ahead, moving all over the road choosing the line with less loose sand or corrugated ruts.

The feared heat went away. It was 41c in the sun on Thursday at 2,500m on a ride to a wild west film town/village of Goldhill on Thursday. Only 9c on stage 1.

For those racing the HR, as America is not the most cycling friendly country, the safe racing sections are limited by the authorities so the timed sections start & stop at various parts during each stage. In the Alps it was a full race after neutral roll-out until the usual hill-top finish. Many of the downhill gravel sections are not timed, for good reason. Once off the gravel, these are best descending roads I’ve ever been on. Hardly the world’s most comfortable descender I was at ease 70+ km/h through rocky canyons with an inviting river alongside.

Back on the flatlands, they somehow found more gravel for us to get us back to Boulder on a section the locals have their equivalent Roubaix race.

So a great intro stage to the Rockies. With all the training everyone has done, we felt tested but good.

Post race recovery drink, stretch, book the massage (we have 30 masseurs travelling with us) and post ride meal in the HR start/finish village. Then briefing for next days stage. Longer, hotter & higher. What else?

Relive link (3D route): www.relive.cc/view/1052235022

Strava link: www.strava.com/activities/1052235022

I’m updating photos daily to this Flickr album: flic.kr/s/aHskYRLpxW

Our personalised jerseys. Blingy-est in the race. by Dan Coulcher

Stage 2
Boulder (1,600m) to Winter Pass (2,900m)
138 km, 3,506m climbing, 6hr 58m riding.

Wow, what a stage. Most of the 400 riders have done at least one HR before but all I spoke to never remembered feeling this tired after only 2 stages. The impact of altitude.

Breakfast at 5am, race start at 6:30. One advantage of jet lag for everyone who’d flown from Europe. I had my pre-breakfast porridge – Flahavan oats fermented in apple juice overnight, followed by a beetroot shot. Better than it sounds & gets some good carbs into you. Breakfast was more porridge/oatmeal, good at this hotel, lots of coffee and some eggs & fruit.

Connie Phinney, ex-pro & current Tour de France rider Taylor Phinney’s mum, gave an excellent, funny speech at last night’s briefing. Connie told us for all the years living in Boulder she had ridden our first climb, the innocuously named Magnolia Drive, once. 7km at 10-15% gradient to 2,641m. Tough start to the stage but as soon as the hardest part was done the road turned to gravel as we continued to climb for another 15km. Connie mentioned that when she asked Bernaud Hinault what he thought of Colorado scenery after a stage race here, he said he didn’t see anything as he was racing too hard. So I’m happy to follow Connie’s advice, easing back a little to enjoy the stunning scenery.

Once off the gravel, an even better descent than yesterday. The surface is so good it makes a mediocre descender like me look vaguely competent, yours truly is 1m 10s into Stage 1 summary video:

Then on to another 10km of gravel up to Central City Parkway at 2,712m, through picturesque wooded valley with rivers, pastures, typical Western American houses and the occasional abandoned mine. The scenery is so different to Europe and exactly why we are here. However gravel needs constant awareness as anyone who stumbles across Wicklow County Council’s latest road ‘improvement’ knows. On one downhill corner we passed an ambulance next to one rider on a stretcher and the other in a wheelchair. Both broken collarbones.

Descending back on a main road I hit 74 kmh, then a long pull along a valley – don’t want to be accused of wheel sucking before we began our last climb of the day up to Berthoud Pass at a lung busting 3,446m. Regular Father Jack shouts of 'drink, drink to remind everyone. The air is so dry at these altitudes you lose huge amounts of water through breathing as well as sweat. I finished two full bottles without noticing in 1hr 20m on the climb.

Another impact of being that high – WTF happened to my power output? I have a FTP of 290w but was averaging only 150-160w for a steady uncomfortable climbing, again pulling grateful riders along.

We descended down to our stage finish at fancy looking ski resort of Winter Park at 2,900m.

How crazy does that read? We descended down to ski resort at 2,900m! We rode 10km today above 3,000m. Altitude & gravel made this so much tougher than 138km & 3,500m sounds.

Relive link (3D route): www.relive.cc/view/1054234706

Strava: www.strava.com/activities/1054234706/overview

Flickr album: flic.kr/s/aHskYRLpxW

Gravel recce climb by Dan Coulcher , on Flickr

Stage 3
Winter Pass (2,900m) to Avon (2,265m)
153 km, 2,080m climbing, 5hr 44m riding.

After yesterday this almost felt like a recovery stage and we had a lie-in as the race didn’t start till 7am. Except I woke at 2:30, jet lag still an issue. A few pages of Cormac McCarthy's the Road had me in sweet dreams again. I asked the breakfast server which milk had more fat - ‘half & half or 2%’ & promptly picked the high fat option. “You cyclists burn a lot of fat”. Eating & drinking all day, not just for that day’s ride but keeping fuelled & hydrated for following days. A lot of attention paid to urine colour.

An early gravel climb up Cottonwood Pass (2,713m) and then following the Colorado river (creator of the Grand Canyon) through gorges & across high plains. Pente 14 had a 5 man train running up & overs pulling another 10 riders behind before we let/told them to join in. Always one of the best feelings in cycling running a team up & over. Doing it along one the world’s iconic rivers through this scenery, even better.

Then a 30km gravel section but actually the day’s highlight. Trough Road followed the Colorado river. Mainly hard-packed earth rather than loose gravel so you could look up & enjoy the scenery & even hit 60+ kmh on downhills, not a speed I thought I’d go near off the tarmac. Just one unpleasant section – Bitey Gravel, suddenly being bitten even through our lycra.

The entire 150km stage was above 2,200m or put it another way, we never dropped below iconic Tour de France summits Col du Glandon or Croix de Fer’s altitude. Despite this my Garmin recorded 41c in the sun. Drink bottles were filled to the top at every stop without exception.

Final climb back on tarmac up to Wolcott (2,510m) before descending down into the wealthy ski resort area of Avon. I counted 6 Maserati’s entering the town. A great massage by the lake. I’ve had the same masseur, Izzie, every day so she knows my body & what’s hurting/surviving. I was sold after she sorted out a stiff back on the first day.

After 3 days it was finally time to wash my merino base layer. Amazing material, it really does survive all this without smelling, honest. There isn’t much free time on a Haute Route, post ride you begin sorting logistics for the following day. Wash kit, wash bottles, charge all the modern gadgets – Garmin, GoPro, iPhone. Feed again & collapse in bed after putting out next days bars, gels, powders & kit as it’s always an early start so we need to be packed overnight. One thing we don’t have to do is clean our bike. We’ve signed up to a daily bike cleaning service. USD20 for the entire week. Bargain.

Special mention to all the State Troopers helping us through junctions. This isn’t a cycling country like France so some drivers aren’t that keen on seeing cyclists on ‘their’ roads. The sight of a State Trooper stopping traffic for us is very reassuring as I don’t think a flagging marshall would get the same respect. To be fair most drivers have been fine just the occasional honking pickup, and yes it is always a big pickup.

Tomorrow is rest day or Hill Climb TT attack depending on your approach.

BTW – please excuse grammar or apostrophe errors. My wife picked me up on it but my brain is mush at the end of most days.

Relive link (3D route): www.relive.cc/view/1055622643

Strava: www.strava.com/activities/1055622643

Flickr album: flic.kr/s/aHskYRLpxW

St 3. With Bear by the Colorado river by Dan Coulcher , on Flickr

St. 3 Along the Colorado river by Hot Sulpher Springs by Dan Coulcher , on Flickr

State troopers have been great all along the route by Dan Coulcher , on Flickr

Stage 4
Avon TT Hill Climb
17km, 650m climbing, 47m 28s

After holding back a little in first 3 stages I decided to open up my legs & have a crack at the TT as I have a sado-masochistic love of hill climbs. I didn’t need to pump my tyres in the morning as they were at right pressure (for techies: 80psi front, 85psi back on 28mm tyres). The altitude drop from last night’s 2,900m to 2,265m in Avon made up for any pressure loss during the ride.

An odd hill climb course with two descents. I hit 74kmh on the first & 67 kmh on the second. It’s rare to hit those speeds on a normal TT, let alone a hill climb. Saw another crash victim who apparently went full on into the barrier – broken collarbone. The TT starting order was lowest GC riders first & the fastest last. As I wasn’t riding full gas for the first 3 days I knew my position was a lot lower than my ability so expected to overtake a few. Ceall being the smart analytical fella he is guessed I would overtake at least 15. I took 17 by the end and finished a respectable 108th out of the 400 plus. I didn’t leave anything in the tank, gasping at the finish line, getting the full endorphin rush a hill climb provides. That’s my full effort for the week done.

I hung around a little lower down the course to watch Ceall fly up, still in the top 50. He got a great 41st. Also saw Emma Pooley dance her pedals up the hill. Beautiful to watch someone of her ability in full race effort flow.

On the day summary video (only 1m 49s) Steve apologies to his wife 55s in:

Relive link (3D route): www.relive.cc/view/1056855263

Strava: www.strava.com/activities/1056855263

Flickr album: flic.kr/s/aHskYRLpxW

Really enjoying these reports, Dan. Fair play!

Stage 5
Avon (2,200m) to Snowmass (2,087m)
164km, 2,803m climbing, 7hrs 16m

Back to a 6:30 start for a long, high day, the Queen Stage. Legs felt ok after following my masseurs advice yesterday and immersing them in the icy Eagle River for 5 minutes, timed by listening to Radiohead's Present Tense - great song.

Started climbing with WIll up to Battle Mountain (2,792m) past more disused mines but he left me when I couldn't resist going back to video a beaver in its Beaver Creek (I'm taking the timed sections very seriously.....). It's really something to see a 10m long dam made by a couple of beavers with the mini-lake. Ian passed by shouting 'Mavic Ambassador coming through' on the distinctive yellow support bike after having issues with his Di2 (electric gearing). The yellow Mavic support cars and motorbikes are very prominent and most of the time a reassuring presence but not needed as bikes are tough. When you need them they go above & beyond providing both spare wheels and complete spare bikes.

I continued climbing with Bear to Tennessee Pass (3,177m) as he imparted his world wisdom and local nature knowledge. We then cruised along a high plateau and noticed some other high altitude effects. We rode 110km above 2,800m today, basically staying higher than any European pass for most of the day. What looked like a steady ride across the plateau required different drinking & eating technique. Water had to be taken in small gulps so you had time to breath regularly. My mum taught me to eat with my mouth closed, sorry mum, not possible cycling at this altitude. Small chunks chewed with mouth wide open. It really demonstrated that we were inhaling a lot less oxygen with every breath. Reduced to 14% effective oxygen on that 3,100m plateau compared with 20.9% at sea level.

Our next town may or may not have helped as we passed through Leadville, an old mining town famous for marijuana shops (including local resident Floyd Landis's) and the Leadville 100 - a 100 mile bike race Floyd & Lance Armstrong raced in. No comment how that pair did so well in the race at that altitude.

We were now into serious picture postcard Rockies territory as we passed Twin Lakes before starting the daunting 27km climb up to the Haute Route high point - Independence Pass 3,687m, sounding even more impressive at an imperial 12,095 ft. Ceall flew up Independence Pass claiming Fisherman’s Friend menthol properties gave him 300w. 36th quickest, not sure if he bought them in Leadville, just sayin...... We were all given medical checks at the summit to make sure we were mentally fit for the fast descent. The thin air makes it so easy to accelerate downhill. Steve, Bear & I didn’t linger as even with sun, it was cold that high but we dropped altitude so quickly that within 10 mins I stopped to take off gilet, cap, knee & arm-warmers.

Through the big ski resort of Aspen passing an airport full of private jets before a cruel end of day hot climb up to the picturesque ski resort of Wintermass. Just to confirm we were in a ski resort, we had to take a gondola to our hotel from the finishing village. The Mavic team sourced some Di2 cables for Ian, re-threading them, back on his own bike for tomorrow's Stage 6.

Appropriately Emma Pooley won the Queen Stage beating all the boys up Independence Pass, something I was pleased to tell my daughter. First female stage winner in Haute Route history and beating some ex-Radioshack pros.

By now body & mind are so tired and thinking 'I never want to do another of these again' but I know that's just stage 5 & 6 talk, it will pass, my mind will forget what the body told it. At least there was only 10km gravel today but they remedy that with tomorrow's route.

Relive link (3D route): www.relive.cc/view/1058684590

Strava: www.strava.com/activities/1058684590

Flickr album: flic.kr/s/aHskYRLpxW

St 5. Twin Lakes by Dan Coulcher , on Flickr

To the West everything flows to the Pacific, to the East everything to the Atlantic. I can't remember which side I pee'd on.

With Bear and Steve on Independence Pass by Dan Coulcher , on Flickr

Great report Dan. Some adventure by the look of it. I am jealous, but yet glad to be sitting at the kitchen table drinking coffee. You've put a lot of effort in, good luck with the rest of it.

Great reports Dan. I've really enjoying reading them.
I had naively thought that this event would be a good one to do - in a kind of casual way. With the benefit of reading your reports I now realise this isn't an event to be taken lightly!
Well done on getting through it all - some achievement.
When the dust settles (literally) it would be great to hear your thoughts on training and bike-setup required for the event.

Dan, well done to you and Ceall. The reports are fantastic.

Stage 6
Snowmass (2,087m) to Crested Butte (2,716m)
171km, 3,094m climbing, 7hr 25m

Following yesterday's epic stage, even longer today, a little more climbing with 80km of gravel but not quite as high as yesterday. This is when these events become more mental than physical.

Atop the first shorter climb to Sopris Creek (2,475m), a new phenomenon as many broke out in chesty coughs. It seemed half the peleton had picked it up in the last couple of days & you could hear it at every summit drinks stop. Descending out of affluent Snowmass resort the organisers somehow found the worst gravel descent of the week, really pushing a road bike's limits. Wheels sliding, bottles flying out of cages. I wasn't alone in stopping mid descent to give my brakey-achy hands a rest. I'll admit considering unclipping & walking down on some 10% sections. A few of the leaders' tubulars had multiple punctures so I took advantage to congratulate Emma on her win & get a quick selfie before ignoring etiquette and attacking with yellow jersey awaiting mechanical assistance.

A more alpine type climb to McClure Pass (2,669m), pine forests surrounded by white peaks before the reward of another Colorado descent. In the next valley we quickly grouped into up & over trains gradually ascending into a headwind. I tagged on to a Black Widows train, a 30-strong group of riders, similar ethos to Pente 14, only forming for Haute Routes. We had the best kits but they definitely had the best car support, complete with speakers. My only complaint - a little Led Zeppelin would have been much motivating than Abba. A goat-like cry to my right across the river, something brown & furry. Only when we got to the next feed stop did others who had a better view tell me about the bear & cub we passed. I definitely would have abandoned my train for that if I'd known.

We turned off the tarmac onto the daunting huge climb up Kebler Pass (3,050m). We were all wrecked, encouraging each other along. Stage 6 and legs, body & mind very tired after over 700km in the last 5 1/2 days, starting the climb after 120km today and 37km of gravel to the summit on another hot day. I was paraphrasing Dory (Finding Nemo) in my head - 'just keep pedalling, just keep pedalling.' Balancing water between keeping enough to drink and pouring a little over my head & neck. Our train fellowship had long split as we each went at our comfortable pace, encouraging passing or passed riders.

Having said this, Kebler Pass was probably my favourite climb in the Rockies & I'd love to do it again on fresher legs; gorgeous. Pines, huge virgin 'quaking aspen' forests (birch-like trees), snowcapped mountains, cascading rivers, beaver creeks & mounds, meadows and roadside snow as we neared the summit. Even the summit was a postcard-perfect pine tree bordered meadow, unlike the often disappointing car park view on many passes in the Alps & Rockies. Actually, even Wicklow Gap is a car park.

It was a euphoric moment for all, the last big pass, you could sense the joy/relief amongst everyone at the summit food stop (in between the increasing coughing fits). Tomorrow's Stage 7 would still have some climbs but would be a short stage; more ceremonial, end of term, a bit like the end to the Grand Tours. After some more selfies, Will & enjoyed the good dirt descent along a river, marvelling at more huge beaver creek creations. We'd spotted the blip on the stage profile - yup not quite over, a 200m climb up to the day's finishing ski resort of Crested Butte.

Back-to-back 100 mile stages with heat, climbing, gravel & altitude took their toll on everyone. Many describing it as their toughest day on a bike.

If you haven’t gathered already from all the previous stages, this really has been special. Most of us came to ride somewhere different and see some of America’s most spectacular scenery. The route has delivered. High mountains, gorgeous rivers, forests, occasional native wildlife, wild-west towns.
So tired & hot but exhilarated. Only 36% of the peloton were American; riders from 51 countries, the majority European but plenty of Mexicans, Brazilians too. Interestingly a few of the Americans were anxious 'what do the Europeans think of this compared to the Alps?' I reassured them we thought it was magnificent; exactly what we came for. Very beautiful but different scenery, the vast sweeping American landscapes.

Relive link (3D route): www.relive.cc/view/1060159015

Strava: www.strava.com/activities/1060159015

Flickr album: flic.kr/s/aHskYRLpxW

St 6 Picture postcard perfect by Dan Coulcher , on Flickr

Would you ride your lovely Di2 carbon frame down this....? Stage 6 early descent.

Stage 6 - rubbish gravel descending - ugh. by Dan Coulcher , on Flickr

Earlier on Stage 5 above Twin Lakes before tackling Independence Pass

St.5 Above Twin Lakes by Dan Coulcher , on Flickr

Job nearly done. With Will on top of Kebler Pass.

St. 6 Kebler Pass with Will. The last big one done. by Dan Coulcher , on Flickr

Stage 7
Colorado Springs (1,840m)
39km, 1hr 36m, 701m climbing

Despite the planned shorter final stage, no lie in. Continuing to recreate the Grand Tour experience we had to be on a coach at 6am for a 5hr transfer from Crested Butte to Colorado Springs. So up again at 4:30, breakfast, packed and ready before word gets round that the coaches went to the wrong pickup location & wouldn't be here for a while. A while turned into 3 hours and the peleton gossiping that 'the stage will be cancelled’. Eventually the coaches turned up and Colorado showing that even a long highway journey was spectacular.

The final start & finish village was in the Garden of the Gods, unmistakably American scenery of pink & red sandstone rock formations, with Pikes Peak (4,300m) looming in the distance. After a quick ride through the Garden of the Gods, the peleton cruised through Colorado Springs' suburbs with State Troopers clearing our path and a few iconic yellow school buses cheering us along.

Garden of the Gods. Stage 7 start village. Colorado Springs by Dan Coulcher


Ceall discussed having a joint attack on the final, now reduced, timed section. My cough had got quite chesty & flemmy so I said I'd ride steady. Then we crossed the start of final timed section, sod that steady riding, hammer down. I was hitting 320+ watts on the climbs again, 77kmh on the suburban descents before a long busting all-out effort to the line. My efforts were rewarded with 90th position out of 400 in the stage & finally giving Ceall a race. In the overall GC, or Classement as Sean Kelly calls it, Ceall finished top Irishman at 46th. A great effort. Maith thú, Ceall.

There was a final mass coughing fit at the finish line which had us laughing & coughing simultaneously. I'm writing this final blog 10 days later and my cough still hasn't gone. All worth it. A cruise back to the finish village in the Garden of the Gods with the organisers handing out Buds with the post race pasta. Even in Colorado Springs, the Irish pub was the livelist place for Pente 14 to reminisce late into the night before going our separate ways home around the world. Ceall & I hired a monster truck GMC Yukon to fit our bike bags driving back to Denver airport. Again a beautiful drive across the Colorado lower lands. This really is a stunning state.

Those of us with kids are very aware these events take a lot of family time. Not just the 10 days away for the event but the months of training and are very grateful to partners (thank you again Paula) taking up the slack. There were a few couples riding together with grandparents looking after the kids for the week. One Swiss couple in the their 50s had identical GC times after 3 stages, very romantic.

Haute Routes aren’t the cheapest way to ride mountains but it provides a different, more intense approach giving you some appreciation of the multi-stage pro grand tours. You can’t fault the organisation, support & logistics and what a great route they provided. The cost and training commitment is reflected in the participants, mainly 40 & 50 somethings with older kids.

It’s wonderful to know we can keep doing this for decades as we’re inspired by people like Club Legend Tom Weymes even in his young 70s touring the Alps last summer.

Cycling, the people you meet & where it can take you is a beautiful thing.


Relive link (3D route): www.relive.cc/view/1061513828

Strava: www.strava.com/activities/1061513828

Flickr album: flic.kr/s/aHskYRLpxW

Black Widows &; Pente 14 at Stage 7 finish, Colorado Springs by Dan Coulcher

Stage 7. Last climb &; race done. Colorado Springs by Dan Coulcher