Looking down on the Col du Laturet from the Galibier
Le Grand Bornand / Sestrières 213.50 km
My ride started from the Hotel in Chantemerle which was on the race route. We rode west to the Col du Lautaret then up the south slope of the Col de Galibier. Next was the remaining 68k to Sestrières via the Col de Montgenèvre and into Italy. After reaching Sestrières, a major thunderstorm set in. We decided to descend 4k into the tiny village of Champlas du Col, Italy to watch the stage. As the race approached we had no idea that Lance Armstrong had broken away from a small group. He passed us all alone with about a one minute advantage over Alex Zülle and won the stage.
After the entire peloton passed, we descended the Sestrières climb, climbed the Montgenèvre from the east and descended into Briançon and up the road to our hotel in Chantemerle. The entire ride back to the hotel was in pouring rain.
Total mileage for the day was about 140k (86 miles).
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